More Than Words
by hey-sass-butt
Summary: Teenage AU. Castiel is prepared to suffer through one last year of high school. The new boy in his art class (his least favorite class of all) teaches him more than he ever could have expected to learn, the most important lesson being that sometimes, actions speak louder than words. Destiel with teeny hints of Megstiel.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So this fic was requested by the lovely maggiemoooo. I don't know how long it'll be, but we'll see where it goes (: Enjoy!**

Chapter 1

Castiel flopped down into his seat with a sigh. It was the first day of his senior year at high school, and he was already wishing it were summer vacation again. He had just this one class left before lunch. Unfortunately, it was art, his worst subject. Castiel had put it off until he was forced to take it in order to graduate. It wasn't that he wasn't an artistic person- he just couldn't get the image in his mind on to the paper in front of him.

The bell rang, and everyone rushed to find a seat. Castiel slumped down in his chair, resigned to the hour ahead of him. Luckily, he had snagged a seat in the back of the room. Cas was typically a good student- attentive, respectful, well behaved. But he couldn't bring himself to care for art class. As far as he was concerned, the class was a waste of his time. He wasn't going to become a painter, so why should he have to sit through the course?

The teacher got up from her seat to stand at the front of the room. She cleared her throat, effectively quieting her students. Of course, with his luck, Castiel had been put in Ms. Tate's class. She was notoriously strict and short-tempered.

"Good day, everyone," Ms. Tate said. "As I'm sure you all know, my name is-" She was cut off when the door opened suddenly. A boy walked in, around Castiel's age. He was wearing a pair of well-worn jeans, along with a simple black t-shirt under a hunter-green button down and a pair of worker's boots. The front of his brown hair was spiked up, but it still looked soft and feathery. Beneath the hair, his face was scattered with sandy freckles. He had some light stubble, unlike Castiel, who was completely clean-shaven. At this point, Castiel was convinced he would never have facial hair. His skin had always been baby soft and it showed no signs of changing now.

The boy handed Ms. Tate a slip of paper and walked straight to the back of the classroom without saying a word. He dropped his bag at the open desk next to Castiel and sat down, staring resolutely at his desk. As he sat, Castiel caught a glimpse of his bright green eyes. Castiel glanced back towards Ms. Tate, sure she would be furious that this new student would just walk in and seat himself without so much as a sound. However, Ms. Tate read the note she had been handed, a look of pity growing on her face. When she finished reading, she set the note on her desk and continued where she had left off.

"My name is Ms. Tate. While you are in my classroom, there will be no speaking while I am speaking. I'm sure many of you have prepared for a simple class in which you can goof off. However, you will spend each day working diligently. Work is to be turned in on time, no exceptions. We will go over the focus of each piece in class before you are given an assignment to complete. While you are working, you are welcome to speak or listen to music if you have headphones, but if things start to get out of hand, these privileges will be revoked immediately. Is this understood?"

"Yes, Ms. Tate," the class chanted obediently. Castiel glanced over at the new student. He hadn't raised his eyes from his desk. In fact, he hadn't shown any acknowledgment to anyone at all.

"Good," Ms. Tate responded. "Since today is your first day back, I'll go easy on you. Your assignment is to create any work of art you choose. The style, subject, and medium are up to you entirely." She turned and wrote the instructions on the white board behind her. "This will be due at the end of class today," she said, writing the due date on the board as well. "Begin."

Everyone in the class jumped out of their seat. Castiel trudged to the supply cabinet, pulling out a plain sheet of a paper and box of crayons. He returned to his seat, prepared to draw a simple stick figure, maybe with a sun in the corner of the sheet of the paper. When he sat down, he saw the boy next to him had pulled out a well-used sketchbook. Castiel looked over the boy's shoulder as he flipped through the book to a clean sheet. What Castiel saw amazed him; each page was filled with beautiful artwork like nothing he had ever seen.

The boy looked up and saw Castiel watching him. He shifted in his desk, turning so Castiel couldn't see what he was drawing. Cas flushed slightly, realizing he must have seemed like a creep.

"Sorry," he said. "I promise I'm not a weirdo stalker or anything. My name's Castiel."

The boy didn't respond, eyes still glued to his sketchbook. Castiel watched him for another moment before turning to his own work. He doodled mindlessly with the crayons. When he was done, he picked up his work and turned it in. He had drawn two little stick people standing next to each other on crudely drawn grass with a few flowers sticking up. Over the top of the page, he had drawn a cliché rainbow, with one cloud at each end of it. Castiel returned to his seat and glanced back at the new kid.

The quiet boy had done his drawing in pencil. It was a beautiful sketch of a man. He was turned the side, his head bent so his face was hidden. His shadow was cast on to a wall. The figure was a regular man, but upon looking again, Castiel saw the shadow had a set of wings.

The bell rang, announcing their dismissal for lunch. No doubt jarred out of his trance by all the commotion, the boy looked up and glanced around confusedly. When he saw everyone leaving, he quickly gathered his things up. He hurried to the door, turning in his work as he went. Castiel grabbed his bag quickly, meaning to introduce himself again.

"Hey, wait!" he shouted as the new boy reached the door. Just as he had before, the boy ignored him. "I just want to talk to you!" Cas continued, hurrying to the door. When he looked down the hallway, the boy was already gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hey, everyone! What's shakin'? Thanks for the reviews and follows ^^ Now onward to Chapter 2! Also, you should listen to the song this title is named after. It's very pretty.**

Chapter 2

Castiel sat down at his usual lunch table with Meg Masters. She was pretty much his only friend, and they always ate by themselves. Cas knew it sounded sad and lonely, but honestly, they preferred it this way. They had a nice quiet table in the back corner of the lunchroom where they could sit and talk without anyone bothering them. The two were sort of outcasts, what with Castiel being quiet and studious, and Meg being somewhat abrasive.

"How's your day been so far, Meg?" Castiel asked politely.

"Oh, just wonderful," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I find rotting away in this hellhole to be an absolute joy!"

"Point taken," Castiel responded dryly.

"How about you?" Meg asked, reaching into her bag to pull out her lunch. "Anything exciting happen?"

"Well, I got put in Ms. Tate's art class," Castiel grumbled.

"I'm sure you just love that," Meg teased.

"You know me and art. We're just the best of fr-" Cas trailed off as the boy from his class passed by them. He dropped his bag at the table next to theirs, pulled out his lunch, and began eating. His head was down again, and his shoulders looked tense. Everything about this boy screamed 'defensive.'

"Cas? Hello?" Meg snapped her fingers in front of Castiel's face to get his attention.

"Huh? Oh, sorry," Cas apologized, breaking out of his trance. "That boy over there is in my art class. I tried talking to him earlier but he didn't answer me."

"Well, no duh he didn't answer," Meg said. "Haven't you heard who that is?" Castiel shook his head. "That's Dean Winchester."

"So?" Cas asked, still confused.

"So he's deaf."

Cas felt his heart break a little in his chest as he looked back at the boy. Dean had all his belongings drawn in extremely close to him, and he ate his lunch quickly, refusing to look up. To Castiel, he looked a lot like a wounded animal, expecting to be snuck up on at any moment. Every muscle on his body (and there were plenty, Cas couldn't help but notice) was poised for flight.

"I had no clue," Castiel said sadly. "I wonder why he's here, instead of at a school with teachers who at least know sign language."

"No one knows," Meg shrugged. "It's not like any of us can really ask him."

Cas glanced over his shoulder at Dean. He couldn't help but feel extremely sorry for him.

"Why do you care, anyways?" Meg asked. Typically, she and Cas just kept to themselves and let everyone else deal with each other.

"I don't know," Cas said quietly. "I just do." Suddenly, Castiel stood up, grabbing his books and lunch.

"Whoa, where's the fire?" Meg asked.

"He seems lonely," Cas shrugged. "We should go sit with him."

"But he's deaf."

"And?" Castiel raised his eyebrows at her.

"And nothing," she sighed, standing up. "Honestly, the things I do for you…"

"Don't complain, you love me," Cas grinned. Meg muttered something under her breath that Castiel couldn't hear. "What was that?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," she smiled sweetly, radiating sarcasm, as usual. Cas knew better than to pry, so he let it go. They moved to Dean's table and sat down, Cas pulling a sheet of paper and a pen from his bag as they did so. When they sat, Dean's head shot up. His green eyes held a forced toughness, his jaw set as if he was prepared for a fight. He drew his things in even closer to his body, as if he expected Castiel and Meg to try and take his stuff.

Castiel smiled kindly at him, but Dean just glared back. Clearly, he wasn't used to people being friendly towards him. The thought made Castiel want to sigh. Cas only had one friend, and even he knew how much of a difference that could make. Cas uncapped his pen and scribbled a quick note on the sheet of paper he had pulled out.

_Hi. I noticed you were new here and that you were sitting by yourself. I sit next to you in Ms. Tate's art class. My name is Castiel, and this is Meg._

Cas slid the note to Dean with a hesitant smile. Dean eyed him suspiciously before picking it up and scanning it quickly. Castiel's smile widened hopefully when Dean held out his hand, silently requesting the pen. Dean wrote a response and shoved the note back at Cas.

The first thing Castiel noticed was the neatness of the handwriting. Much like Dean's artwork, every letter was neat and ordered, evenly spaced. Each letter was tall and thin and slanted and very close to the one before it. He had scrawled the note down very quickly, and still it was far nicer than Cas's. Castiel's eyes moved enviously over the note, wishing he had the same skill. The way a person writes says a lot about his personality, and what Castiel saw was extremely beautiful. Then he saw what the words actually said.

_Go to hell._

Castiel looked up from the note, somewhat offended, to find Dean was already walking away from the table. He frowned, watching the other boy storm away. Dean clearly didn't interact with people very much, leaving him coarse and difficult to approach, not that Castiel blamed him. Cas couldn't imagine what he'd do in a situation like Dean's.

"What'd he say?" Meg asked curiously, trying to peer over Cas's shoulder at the note.

"Nothing," he lied quickly, folding the note and putting it in the back pocket of his jeans.

"Come on, Cas, I know you well enough to be able to tell when you're lying to me."

"It's not important," Cas protested.

"What, did he say you were weird? Call you a creeper? He didn't insult your precious hair, did he?" Meg pretended to be outraged.

"I said it's not important," Cas glared, running a hand self-consciously over his hair. He turned back to his bag to put his pen away. As soon as he bent over, he felt something reach into his pants.

"Watch it!" he jumped, smacking Meg's hand away from his ass. She leered back at him, waving the note she had snatched triumphantly in her hand.

"You know," Meg smirked, reading the note as Castiel tried to yank it back from her, "this kid may not be so bad after all."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Man, I took a killer Chemistry test today ;-; Welp, on to more writing.**

Chapter 3

Castiel walked into his 4th period art class the next day to find Dean already sitting at his desk. His sketchbook was out in front of him, and he was doodling absentmindedly on a blank page. Dean glanced up as Cas sat down, turning away with a scowl when Castiel smiled at him. Cas sighed as Ms. Tate walked to the front of the room. Clearly, he'd made no progress since yesterday.

"Alright, class. Today, we'll be working on a comic strip. You will work in partners. One of you will do the first four boxes, and the other will do the last four." As she had the day before, Ms. Tate turned and wrote the instructions on the board. Castiel wondered why she wrote everything down before it hit him; it was for Dean's benefit. Castiel didn't know why, but the thought made him want to just reach out and hug Dean. However, from what he'd seen of the boy's behavior, doing so would get him a fist to the face. "I want this turned in at the end of the hour, so it doesn't have to be very detailed. You may begin."

Immediately, everyone around Castiel began scrambling to grab a friend as a partner. Cas sighed, aware that he'd probably end up by himself, as usual. Then he looked over and saw Dean still sitting at his table, scribbling in his sketchbook. Cas's face lit up with the proverbial light bulb over his head. He pulled out a sheet of lined paper, writing on it quickly.

_Partners?_

Cas dropped it on Dean's desk with a hopeful smile. Dean glanced at the note, then at the board, his body language screaming "annoyed" when he saw they had to work together. He gave Castiel a curt nod, refusing to make eye contact with him. Castiel pulled the sheet of paper back to himself, scrawling down another note.

_Do you mind if I do the first part?_

Dean ripped out a sheet of paper from his sketchbook and pushed it towards Castiel, still glaring down at his desk. Cas separated the sheet into 8 equal sections and began to draw. In the first box, he drew a stick figure, sitting alone on the ground looking very sad. In the next box, he drew a second stick figure coming in, trying to comfort the first figure. In the third box, the first figure rejected the help, leaving the second one sad and hurt. In the fourth box, the first figure returned and allowed the second figure to befriend him, leaving them both extremely happy. Cas slid the page back to Dean, satisfied with his work.

Dean barely glanced at the half-comic before looking back at Castiel with an incredulous look on his face. Cas raised his eyebrows questioningly, as if to ask if something was wrong. Dean narrowed his eyes, resenting the challenge. Cas grinned as Dean picked up his pencil and began sketching quickly on the paper. He realized that much of his interaction with Dean would consist of over exaggerated body language, something Dean was no doubt a master of, having used it to communicate for about 17 years.

Within minutes, Dean was done sketching. He handed the paper back to Cas with an expression somewhere between a cocky smirk and the angry mask one uses to cover up pain or sadness. Cas took the art from him delicately. As soon as the exchange was over, Dean returned to glaring at his desk.

The artwork Dean had completed so hastily was remarkable. Where Cas had begun a story of friendship, Dean had finished with one of a harsh reality. He showed the same two figures from before, surrounded by dark shadows but smiling confidently, back-to-back, clearly ready to take on the world together. Then, the first figure turned, morphing into the wall of shadows, becoming one of them. The darkness closed in on the second figure, alone and helpless. In the last box, the figure lay on the ground, battered and bruised, and as completely friendless as before.

Castiel looked up sadly at Dean, who stared resolutely ahead, looking anywhere but at Castiel. Cas reached out hesitantly, laying a hand gently on Dean's shoulder. The other boy instantly jerked away from the touch, causing Castiel to withdraw his hand hastily. Castiel reached out cautiously again, this time moving towards their note paper.

_This story. It's happened to you before, hasn't it? That's why you keep being rude to me._

Dean picked up the paper voluntarily this time, raising an eyebrow and releasing a breath of air, a single humorless and silent laugh.

_I'm not exactly the friendly type, if you haven't noticed._

Dean handed back the paper with a sarcastic smirk, looking pleased with himself.

_No. Instead, you hide behind your sarcasm and your bad-boy façade. But none of it's real. Really, you've just been left behind and hurt by too many people to allow anyone else in. _Castiel returned the paper to Dean. Dean read it, jaw clenched, and then crumpled the sheet and threw it towards the trash can with a snarl. Castiel pulled another sheet of paper from his notebook sheepishly.

_Sorry,_ Cas wrote. _That was a bit forward, wasn't it? I don't have a lot human interaction. Other than Meg, anyways, and she's just about as abrasive as you are. I'm not very good at making friends. _Castiel wasn't sure why he was telling Dean all this, but he was. For some reason, reaching out to this boy seemed incredibly important to him.

After a moment's consideration, Dean accepted the note. He looked up at Castiel when he was done reading, biting his lip. He sat there, fiddling with his pencil, clearly having an internal debate with himself. Finally, he pushed the paper back at Cas, not responding, but at least signifying he would let Castiel keep talking to him.

_It's not… offending you, is it? My writing to you? I just couldn't think of any other way to communicate with you, _Castiel scribbled down, glad he hadn't pushed too far with his previous comment.

_At first, it bothered me. It seemed rude and insensitive. But, honestly, at least you're trying. That's more than anyone else at this dump can say, _Dean responded. Cas was about to write a response when Dean suddenly snatched the paper back from him. _Why do you care so much, anyways? _Dean added.

_I don't know, _Cas answered simply. Dean read the short note and pushed the piece of paper back at Cas, shaking his head, not satisfied with the reply. Cas sighed to himself.

_I suppose it's because I've been friendless before. I know how much it sucks, and I've seen what a difference having even one friend can make._

Dean's eyes scanned over the note. After reading it, he sat for a moment, pencil lying untouched on the table. Suddenly, he picked up the paper and folded it, slipping it into his pocket. Cas opened his mouth to protest, forgetting Dean wouldn't be able to hear him anyways, but the bell rang loudly, cutting him off. Instantly, Dean was on his feet and out the door, turning in their comic as he went. Cas shut his mouth and picked up his own belongings, brow furrowed in thought. This Dean Winchester kid was going to be tough to crack.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: adfasdjfdsalf I just had my last driving lesson and my test is Monday and I'm freaking out. Also, in my school play, we practiced the scene where I get beat, and the stick doesn't hurt, but I rammed my hip into a square pole and now it hurts.**

Chapter 4

"So, what, you and him friends now? That's it?" Meg asked, Castiel having just told her about his most recent art class.

"It's not that simple!" Castiel tried to explain. "I don't think Dean's _friends_ with people. Clearly, it hasn't worked for him in the past. I doubt he's going to just let me in that easily."

"Why'd he even let you speak- er, write- to him in the first place?" Meg demanded. Castiel was thrown off- Meg almost seemed angry, like she'd been insulted.

"I don't know! Why do you care so much?"

Meg just folded her arms and glared away from Cas. Suddenly, it hit him.

"You like him, don't you!" Castiel couldn't help but laugh. "You've got a thing for Dean Winchester!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Meg rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come on, don't lie to me. I can tell. You're completely jealous of me. You just wish he would talk or write notes or whatever with _you_."

"Whatever," she snapped. "Think what you want." She turned and began to walk away from Castiel.

"Don't be like that, Meg! I'm sorry," he ran to catch up with her. "I was only teasing you, I swear."

Meg ignored Castiel, jaw set. He reached and grabbed her hand, yanking her around to look at him.

"Really. I'm sorry. It was just a joke." Castiel gave her his best puppy dog look, blue eyes wide and sparkling, head tucked ever so slightly, lower lip jutting out just a little bit. Meg tried to keep the glare on her face, but within seconds it was melted.

"Alright, alright," she surrendered. "Enough with the kicked puppy look."

Castiel grinned, aware that no one could resist his pout.

"Now come on," Meg said, grabbing Cas's hand and dragging him down the hallway. "It's lunchtime and I'm starving." Castiel just laughed, stumbling behind her as she towed him down the hallway.

* * *

When Castiel and Meg walked into the cafeteria minutes later, their hands were still linked together. It was nothing special or unusual for them; the two were such close friends that the majority of the school was convinced they were dating anyways. Meg and Cas never bothered to correct anyone- after all, they knew they were just friends, so why did it matter what anyone else thought?

They walked up to their table, Castiel still laughing at a joke Meg had just told. His smile widened when he saw Dean sitting at their table. His posture was tense, like it had been the day before, but his eyes were searching the room, rather than being glued to the table. He relaxed minutely when he saw Meg and Cas approach, his eyes darting to their intertwined fingers momentarily.

"Oh," Meg said, releasing Castiel's hand when she saw Dean at their table. "I didn't realize we were a package deal."

"Don't be like that," Castiel scolded, pushing her lightly with his shoulder.

"Hey, I never signed up for this 'friends' thing. Being friends with one weirdo is hard enough."

"Play nicely." Cas shot her a warning look as they sat down. He then turned to Dean, giving him a warm smile. Dean's lip twitched in response, the closest he could get to returning the expression. Castiel reached in his bag for the usual sheet of paper and pen.

_Enjoying lunch? _Cas asked. Dean shrugged in response, eyeing Meg warily.

_Don't mind her, _Cas continued. _Meg's just not very good at being friendly._

_ Why? _Dean quirked his head to the side, body language conveying the confusion and curiosity he couldn't display with his voice.

_She's got one of those 'do-whatever-I-want' attitudes. I think most people are intimidated by it, _Castiel explained.

_But it doesn't bother you._

Castiel grinned, noticing the intentional placement of a period instead of a question mark. 

_ Guess not._

Meg suddenly stood up. "As much fun as it is watching you two send each other secret love letters, I have better things to do." She gathered up her stuff. "See you after school?" she asked, looking at Castiel.

"See you then," Castiel nodded sadly. He was disappointed she wasn't being more welcoming.

_Did I do something wrong? _Dean poked Castiel with his pen, grabbing his attention to show him the new note.

_Not at all,_ Castiel assured him. _That's just Meg being Meg._

_ Well, don't worry about me. You're more than welcome to eat lunch with your girlfriend._

Cas laughed, shaking his head as he began to respond. _She's not my girlfriend. You're not the first to assume that, though._

_ Well, where is your girlfriend? _Dean underlined the word, identifying the emphasis.

_Don't have one._

Dean, raised his eyes in surprise? _Seriously?_

_ Why does that shock you so much?_

_ I don't know. Guy like you, nice, friendly, attractive- you're bound to have a girlfriend._

Cas read the note, dumbfounded for a moment.

_You think I'm attractive?_

_ You don't?_

_ You didn't answer the question,_ Cas pressed.

_Yes, I think you're attractive. Does that bother you?_

Castiel sat back, thinking about it for a moment.

_A little bit, yeah, _Cas answered.

_What part bothers you?_

_ No one's ever thought that about me before. It feels a little weird._

_ So let me get this straight. _Cas could see the amused smile on Dean's face as he wrote. _You're more bothered by the thought that someone would find you attractive than that it's the new, deaf guy at your school?_

_ Yeah, that pretty much sums it up._

_ Fair enough, _Dean wrote, shrugging as he pushed the paper back to Castiel.

_So, you're gay then? _Cas asked.

_Damn, could you be any more blunt?_

_ Is that a yes?_

Dean rolled his yes. _No. I don't really have a preference. Honestly, it doesn't make that much of a difference, anyways. Dates are hard to come by either way when you're deaf._

Dean hesitated before writing his next question. _ Have you ever liked anyone?_

_ Why do you ask?_

_ I figured if you had you'd be dating them right now._

_ You find me much more appealing than anyone else in this school. _Castiel quirked his eyebrow, amused.

_You didn't answer the question, _Dean copied Castiel's remark from earlier.

_No, I haven't. Honestly, at this point I figure I never will. People just annoy me too much. _Castiel was shocked at how open he was being with Dean, who was practically a stranger.

Dean shot Castiel a half-smile. _Do I annoy you?_

_ No, _Castiel replied honestly.

_Good. I never thought I'd say this, but for once, I'm actually glad I'm not pissing someone off. You were right. Having a friend is nice._

Castiel didn't know how to respond, other than to smile widely at Dean. Dean suddenly grinned mischievously, grabbing back the pen and paper.

_Especially when they're as good-looking as you. _Dean smirked.

_You're going to make it your mission in life to make me uncomfortable by flirting with me, aren't you? _Castiel handed Dean the note, wishing he could speak it so Dean could hear how dry his voice would be.

_See? _Dean grinned. _We know each other so well already._


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Sorry it's been a few days. I've been doing random stuff. On the plus side, I finally got my AP Chem grade back into the B range. Woo! There's a slight twist in this chapter to the typical story line.**

Chapter 5

_Hey, hot stuff. _The note fluttered down on to Castiel's desk. He glanced up to see Dean smirking down at him. Cas nodded in response, turning back to focus on the artwork in front of him. All week, they'd been learning how to draw different features of the face. Now, their assignment was to put it all together into a single portrait. And just as he had predicted, Castiel was completely inept. No matter how hard he tried, the drawing looked completely terrible.

_That's all I get? A nod? _Dean added to the note.

_Sorry,_ Cas scrawled back quickly. _Distracted. Work due soon._

Dean looked skeptically at the paper in front of Cas. _That's your art project?_

_ Is it really that bad?_

When Dean didn't reply, Cas groaned and put his head in his hands.

_That's it,_ Cas wrote. _I'm not going to graduate. And all because I can't pass this stupid art class._

Suddenly, Dean's hand was on Cas's shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly. Instantly, Castiel felt himself relax slightly.

_You're not going to flunk out._

_ Says who?_

_ Says me. I'll teach you how to do art properly._

Castiel glanced up gratefully at Dean. _Seriously? You'd do that for me?_

Dean tapped his chin, pretending to ponder it. _Well, let's see. You pass your art class and graduate. I get to bring a hot piece of ass home. Seems like a win-win situation to me._

Castiel shifted uneasily in his chair, still not used to having someone flirt with him. _You know, _Cas responded,_ you talk a lot of game, for someone who's never been on a date in his life._

_ I guess we'll just have to change that._

_ Seriously? _Castiel raised his eyebrows as he wrote the note, finding his expressions matching what his tone of voice would be. _After what I told you about being attracted to literally nobody, you're still going to try and get in my pants?_

Dean rolled his eyes as he read the response. _Dude, I'm deaf. It's not like it actually matters anyway. At least this way, I get to watch you squirm a little bit._

_ Was that meant to be sexual? _Cas couldn't help but ask.

_ Guess we'll find out._

Castiel furrowed his brow at the cryptic response. Then he glanced back down at his so-called artwork with a sigh. He decided to let Dean's remark go, choosing instead to focus on his impending failure.

_Alright, deal. _Castiel handed the paper to Dean and stuck his hand out. Dean grinned as grasped Cas's hand, shaking it enthusiastically.

_When and where do you want to meet? _Cas wrote.

_Well, I take the bus home after school. How about, instead, you give me a ride? We can work at my house._

_ Sounds good, _Castiel wrote as the bell rang, dismissing them for lunch. _I have to tutor a girl in math today during lunch. See you after school?_

Dean nodded. _I'll be waiting over by student parking._

Dean left quickly, as usual. Castiel packed up his things slowly, not over-thrilled about the tutor session he was about to have. However, he couldn't stop the small smile when he thought about what the end of the school day would bring.

* * *

When Castiel arrived at the gate that led to student parking, Dean was leaning casually against it. His hands were in his pockets, one foot propped against the chain link fence, his coat collar turned up against the cold breeze. Cas tried not to laugh as he realized Dean looked like something out of a movie.

Dean raised his eyebrows questioningly at the expression on Castiel's face, but Cas only smiled and shook his head in response. Dean looked at Cas suspiciously for a moment, but followed him through the parking lot.

When they arrived at Castiel's car, Dean's jaw dropped. He approached the car with near reverence, running his hand over the smooth paint. It was an old, classic '67 Chevy Impala with black finish. Dean turned from the car to Cas, mouth still hanging wide open. He hastily dug through his bag for a pen and paper.

_YOU DRIVE AN IMPALA?_

Cas laughed at both the urgency of the note and the intense look on Dean's face. _Yeah. Why?_

Dean looked like his eyes were going to pop out his head. _Why? It's only the most amazing car in the whole entire universe!_

Cas shrugged. _It's an old, run-down, piece of junk. It's more trouble than it's worth to be honest. I was supposed to take it by the old auto shop after school to see if we could sell it._

_ARE YOU CRAZY? _Dean was writing so furiously he almost ripped the paper. _You can't get rid of a car like this!_

_Why not? It barely runs anyways._

_So let me fix it._

Castiel stared at Dean, eyebrows raised incredulously. _You seriously want to fix this car?_

Dean nodded eagerly. He dropped on his knees in front of Cas, hands clasped, face arranged in a puppy dog look that rivaled Castiel's.

_Well, I don't see why not._

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms was wrapped extremely tightly around Cas's body. He felt all the air leave his body with a woosh as Dean hugged him forcefully. Then, just as quickly as it had come, Dean let go of Cas. Dean smiled, running his hand appreciatively over the car again.

After a few minutes of Dean just staring at the car in awe, Cas waved his hand in front of Dean's face. He nodded meaningfully at the car door, indicating they should leave. Dean ducked his head sheepishly, aware that he'd been gazing at the car for far too long. The two climbed in the car, Dean handed Cas a sheet of paper with his address on it, and they were off.

When they arrived at Dean's house, Dean handed Castiel a note asking him to park in the driveway so he could start working on the Impala while Castiel did his art project. Cas obliged and waited patiently while Dean opened the garage. He followed Dean through the small house until they reached Dean's room.

Dean held out a hand, asking Cas to wait outside his room. While he waited, Castiel took a long around. He was in a narrow hallway. Directly in front of him was Dean's room. A little to the left of Dean's room was another doorway, presumably leading to a second bedroom. Further down the hallway, on the same side as Castiel, was an open door, through which Castiel could see what had to be Dean's father's room. On his other side was a door that led to a bathroom. When they had walked through the house, Cas had caught a glimpse of a small, cluttered kitchen. The entire house screamed- well, Castiel hated to think of it this way, but there was no other way he could put it- poor. Clearly, the Winchesters were facing some hard times.

Suddenly, Dean emerged from his room, art supplies in hand. Castiel followed him back through the house and out to a garage, where an art table was already set up. Dean set Cas up with everything he would need before turning to survey the Impala. They both worked diligently for an hour or so before Dean felt Castiel tap on his shoulder.

_I give up. I need help._

Dean grinned. He could practically hear-well, you know what I mean- the defeat in the note.

_What's wrong?_

Dean followed Castiel back to the table.

_I keep drawing the jaw line like we were taught, but it keeps coming out all wrong! One side's longer than the other, or it's too narrow, or it's off center- no matter what, I can't get it right._

_Show me._

Castiel obediently picked up his pencil and began to attempt his sketch again. Within seconds, Dean stopped him.

_You're being way too choppy with your lines. Try being smoother._

Cas tried again, focusing on keeping his lines continuous, but he ended up with a comically rounded face on his sheet. Dean stopped him again, hand out, asking to show Castiel how to do it correctly. Castiel nodded, holding out the pencil for him. Instead, Dean placed his hand on Cas's, guiding the pencil gently over the paper. Within seconds, a perfect replica of the jaw line from Cas's picture was drawn onto the paper.

_See? _Dean wrote. _You're over thinking it. You need to just go with it, flow. Understand?_

Castiel nodded, slightly distracted by the close proximity between himself and Dean. Dean glanced down at the photo Cas had selected.

_Who's the picture of? _Dean asked.

_That's me, when I was about eight years old._

Dean picked up the picture, studying it more closely. _You looked really happy._

_I was._

Dean sat without responding, looking sadly at the photo. He hadn't missed the past tense in Cas's note. Suddenly, a new question was dangling in front of him.

_If you don't mind my asking, why do you go to a public school instead of one for deaf kids?_

Dean hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He barely knew this kid, but for some reason, opening up was easy. It wasn't something Dean was used to.

_My mom died when I was 4. Since then, my dad's been taking care of me and my kid brother, Sam. It's been really tough, especially since Dad's work doesn't give him great health benefits. He does his best, though. He's sort of like a traveling handy man. When someone has something that needs fixing, they call up my dad, and he drives to wherever they are to fix it. He's the one who taught me how to fix a car. He's great, he can fix anything you put in front of him. But it doesn't pay very well. Sammy's practically a genius, so we've got money put aside for his schooling. That on top of my doctor's bills doesn't leave us with enough to afford a specialty school for the deaf._

Castiel had to read the note twice for all of it to sink in. _Your dad is paying for Sam's school, and not yours?_

_No, of course not. Both of them were all for getting me into a specialized school. I wouldn't let them, not if it could take away Sam's chance at a real education._

_You must love your brother very much._

_He's my pride and joy._

Castiel sat in a slightly awed silence at the simplicity with which Dean said that. No hesitation, no beating around the bush, just straightforward and obvious. Much like Dean himself, Castiel realized.

_You're pretty special, you know that?_

_What makes you say that? _Dean cocked his head to the side curiously.

_You're making your life more difficult than it needs to be in order to assure your brother has a future. That's not nothing, Dean._

_It's not like I've got much of a shot at a future, anyways. Not being able to hear does that to you._

_I don't know. Seems to me like you'd be a pretty good art teacher._

Dean looked at Castiel with wide eyes. _You really think so?_

_I do._

Dean frowned thoughtfully, turning back to work on the Impala. For a moment, Cas thought he had insulted Dean somehow. However, when he turned around to watch Dean work, there was a smile quickly growing on the boy's face. Castiel smiled slightly to himself, turning back to continue drawing. The rest of the afternoon passed quickly for the two as an easy silence settled between them.

**AN: I don't know how long this will be. I can already kind of see a conflict and resolution coming up. Sorry for the long wait in between chapters. It's just been that kind of week. Also, I feel like this writing isn't worth of you guys, but it's all I've got right now. Sorry ^^**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Like I said, I don't see this being very much longer. Maybe 4 more chapters. Enjoy!**

Chapter 6

Castiel went over to Dean's house every day for the rest of the week, and the week after that, and the week after that. Dean continued to work on the Impala in between helping Cas with whatever they were working on in art. If they weren't in the mood to work on their respective projects, they'd simple sit and exchange notes for hours on end. One of these occasions, they got on the topic of their futures.

_So, senior year, _Dean wrote. _What are your plans?_

_I want to go to Columbia._

_What for?_

_Writing. Where you have pictures, I have words. Whether written or spoken, I think words are the most important asset a human being can possess._

_Why? _Dean's large green eyes were filled with curiosity.

Castiel frowned, wondering how to explain. _Well, it's like with this. Even though I can't physically speak to you, we still have the ability to communicate, and that's all thanks to words. It goes beyond that, too. You could be the loneliest, most friendless person in the world. All you have to do is pick up a book to be transported to a world where your greatest friends lie waiting to have the most fantastic adventures. When you're a kid like me, that can make all the difference._

Dean read the note intently, a small smile lighting his eyes. _That's where you and I are different, I guess, _he responded. _When I was down and had no one to turn to, I turned to art. It just felt so freeing. It's the best escape in the world. I must admit, though, you do have a way with words. _

Cas blushed and glanced down abashedly. For some reason, he found himself becoming more and more affected by Dean's flirtatious behavior. But it wasn't in the way he expected. Instead of the foot-shuffling awkwardness Castiel anticipated accompanying the flattery, he found himself enjoying the attention. Sure, he still blushed- he was a humble guy, it was expected for him to be flustered. But he really enjoyed the affection Dean showed him, however suggestive it may be.

When Dean would guide Cas's hand across a sheet of paper, teaching him how do so and so properly, or do this technique correctly, Castiel's heart rate would pick up. He found his eyes constantly drawn to the contour of Dean's lips. He was becoming increasingly aware of how small the garage was, how close together he and Dean were, especially with the Impala taking up space. Every hour he spent with Dean, he found it harder to leave. On the odd day Castiel had something to do after school, he found himself wishing he was back in Dean's garage.

And on the rare instance he wasn't thinking about Dean, Castiel was missing Meg. The more time he spent with Dean, the less he saw of Meg. For some reason, she couldn't stand to be around the boy. The best excuse Castiel could come up with was that she was jealous that he had grown to make a new friend when they were so used to it being just the two of them.

Castiel missed her. Dean was a great friend, and Castiel knew he could to do him with any problem. Unfortunately, his problem was Dean. Ever since he was 12 and all his schoolmates started getting crushes on each other, Castiel knew he was different. This persisted all the way through middle school, and now through high school as well. Not once did he have any romantic feelings for any of them. To be honest, he didn't have platonic feelings for any of them either. Maybe that was the issue- it wasn't that he wasn't sexually attracted to people, he just wasn't sexually attracted to the people he knew because they were all entirely unappealing. Either way, he wished Meg were there to help him sort out his feelings.

But she wasn't there, and Cas knew better than to sit around and wish. He decided to take things as they came, and not over think things. After thinking about it, Castiel realized just how ridiculous of an idea that was, seeing as it was ingrained into his very existence to over think things. Regardless, when Cas went over to Dean's the next day, he just took a deep breath and behaved as normally as he possibly could.

In the end, it was much easier to behave regularly than Cas had anticipated. He and Dean quickly fell into their usual routine. They caught up on what had happened in the few hours they'd been apart. They told jokes, and they teased each other. The upbeat conversation continued for the entire visit. When Cas said he had to go, the conversation became a competition between the two to see who could write the most cliché, overly-romantic goodbye. If Castiel was being perfectly honest with himself, they flirted.

_I never thought I'd see the day._

_What? _Dean furrowed his brow.

Castiel's eyes widened. He hadn't realized he'd written that last thought down.

_Just… I don't know. I'm… flirting.I just never thought that'd ever happen._

Dean broke down into silent laughter, his entire body shaking.

_What's so funny? _Now it was Cas's turn to be confused.

_You call this flirting? Oh, man, I'd hate to see you when you were trying to just be friendly._

_Fine. You can come over this evening for dinner and show me what real flirting is like. _Castiel didn't know where the sudden cocky confidence came from, but suddenly the note was in Dean's hand. Instantly, panic washed over Cas. Images of rejection and humiliation ran through his mind.

_Really? You're asking me out on a date? And after everything you told me about your sexuality- or lack of sexuality, I guess._

_Apparently, you're the exception._

Dean smirked. _Wow. I really am unstoppable. _

_So is that a no or…? _Cas was already so nervous he half-wished the answer _was _a no.

_And pass up being little Cassie's first date? Not a chance. Write down your address. I'll be there at 6:30._

Cas nodded and smiled absent-mindedly, getting up to leave. He was stopped when he felt Dean's hand close around the sleeve of his jacket. Cas reached out, taking the note Dean held out for him.

_Thanks, by the way. It's my first date, too, and I'm honestly really glad to say that it's going to be with you._

The hand around Cas's sleeve tightened, yanking him down for a bone-crushing hug. Before Castiel could even react, Dean had let go.

Castiel, still in a mind-numbing state of "crap-I-just-asked-someone-on-a-date-and-they-said -yes," jotted down his address, along with an invitation to walk right into the house- he often got distracted and didn't hear the doorbell. He left Dean's house, promising dinner would be ready by the time he arrived. When Cas got in his car, his brain finally started working again. He glanced at his watch, his panic increasing when he saw it was already four.

"I'm such an idiot," Cas muttered to himself. "I've never been on a date in my life, I've never even wanted to go on a date before, so of course the first thing I should do is ask Dean Winchester out. I'm a complete moron."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Before he was aware of even dialing, the phone was ringing against his ear.

"Hello?"

"Meg!" Castiel breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god you answered. I need your help."

"Cas, wha-"

"It's an emergency. Come over ASAP."

There was a moment of silence from Meg's end of the line.

"Alright," she said finally. "I'll be there in 15 minutes."

"You are a life saver, Meg. Honestly. I love you so much, and I owe you big."

"Yeah, well, be careful what you wish for."

* * *

Castiel was just putting the finishing touches on his and Dean's dinner when Meg finally walked into the room.

"Where have you been?! You agreed to meet me almost 2 hours ago!" Cas demanded furiously.

"I was having trouble convincing myself to come over here, honestly."

Even through his anger, Castiel couldn't help but be concerned. "Are you alright?"

Meg smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine. What's your crisis?"

"I'm a biggest idiot to ever grace this planet."

"Well, yeah, but we already knew that. So what's the real issue?"

Cas chewed on his lip, hesitant to tell Meg. She really didn't like Dean already, and Castiel felt like this would just make things worse. After all, he could only imagine how much it would hurt if Meg stopped hanging out with him to spend time with some boyfriend instead.

"I asked Dean Winchester to come over for dinner." The words slipped past Castiel's lips without his volition.

Meg's posture stiffened when she heard Dean's name. "What's the big deal?" She picked up a glass from the kitchen table, pretending to inspect it to avoid Cas's gaze.

"It's a date."

The glass slipped from Meg's fingers and landed on the wood flooring with a crash, shattering into dozens of pieces.

"I thought you didn't feel that way," she said through a clenched jaw. "About anyone."

"Well, apparently I was wrong," Castiel said, annoyed. "Why do you care so much, anyways?"

"You're my best friend."

"It wouldn't seem like it from the way you've been behaving lately. Honestly, I can't tell if you're more upset that I asked someone out, or that I asked out Dean Winchester."

"OF COURSE I'M UPSET!" The words exploded out of Meg as she rounded on them, anger igniting her eyes. "I had to sit there, day in and day out, while you two fawned over each other and your secret little love notes! I didn't even have to read them to know that he was flirting with you."

"I still don't see why it's such a big deal."

"Because you said you weren't attracted to anyone!"

"Well, now I am! And for the life of me, I can't figure out why that offends you so much."

Meg gripped her hair in her hands, both trying to shout something at him and hold it in at the same time. "BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE ME!" she screamed.

Instantly, the house was filled with silence, broken only by the sound of Meg breathing heavily.

Cas narrowed his eyes and titled his head to the side, trying to comprehend the situation. "I don't understand."

Meg laughed bitterly. "For someone who's such a genius, Cas, you sure can be a dumbass sometimes. _I _have feelings for you. Is it really that hard to grasp?"

Cas laughed once, hoping this was an elaborate joke. "No. No, you're being ridiculous. We're friends, Meg. Best friends. You must be messing with me, that's all."

"What, you're saying you don't see it?" Meg asked incredulously. "Cas, I've had feelings for you since sophomore year! I realized it that one night I came over in December. You'd been out of school for a week with the flu, and I'd been bringing over all your class work. But that night, for some reason, I brought you chicken noodle soup and a bedtime story. And even after you fell asleep, I sat there and kept reading, and when I was done you looked so peaceful that there was nothing I wanted more in the world than to wrap you up and take you somewhere safe. Somewhere you and I could be together, just the two of us, without any of those spastic morons we call our peers to bother us. I wanted that every day, but I pushed those feelings aside. I settled for being your best friend because that's all you needed and all you wanted, and I was ready to be anything for you."

Cas shook his head again, still in denial. "Exactly. You're my best friend. That's it. You don't mean this."

Meg all but growled in frustration at Cas's disbelief. "What do I have to do to make you believe me?!"

"Meg, I-" Cas was cut off as Meg yanked him forward by his blue tie, crashing their lips together. Immediately, he threaded his fingers tightly into her hair, wanting to pull her off of him, but afraid of hurting her. Suddenly, they heard the sound of something being dropped to the floor of the kitchen. Cas managed to push her away, turning to see Dean standing there, pain and betrayal written plainly across his face.

Dean's hand was clenched into a tight fist around a bouquet of flowers, wrapped in plastic. The other hand dangled loosely at his side, no doubt having held the chocolates that now littered the floor. Dean's eyes filled with tears as he threw the flowers down on top of the ruined candy. He turned and walked swiftly out the door, wiping his eyes on his arm as he went.

"Dean, wait! I can expla-" the plea died out on Cas's lips as he realized it didn't matter. Dean couldn't hear him. He turned around sharply, only to find Meg still standing in the kitchen.

"Get out." He said it quietly and menacingly.

"Cas, I'm really sor-"

"GET OUT!"

"No." Meg's jaw was set defiantly, though her eyes flickered with fear.

"All of this is your fault," Castiel spat out. "You've ruined everything!" Cas collapsed onto his knees as tears blurred his vision. Meg reached out to comfort him, but Cas jerked away violently before she even touched him.

"So go explain what happened, if this matters so much to you!"

Suddenly, all the fight went out of Cas, leaving him broken and lifeless.

"I can't. He'll never let me explain."

"Then make him listen to you."

"I. Can't." Cas put as much venom into each word as he possible could. "I can't make him hear me out. He _can't _listen to me."

After that, Meg couldn't get any coherent words out of Castiel that weren't "get out," "go away," or "I hate you." The only thing she could do was drag him to his room and tuck him into bed. As soon as she had pulled the covers around him, he turned onto his side, facing the wall. He refused to turn around, and eventually she left him there, deciding that sticking around was doing more harm than good.

All night, the only thing Castiel could think was that even if Dean _could_ listen to him, he never would.

**AN: I know this is twice the length of a usual chapter, but I felt like it all needed to go together. I'll probably be wrapping it up soon. Sorry if there were errors, it's 3 am right now and I just finished writing it. =.= 'Night all.**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hey, hey, what's shakin' with you guys? Thanks to all my lovely reviewers, I don't feel worthy of your praise X3 I might be wrapping up soon so enjoy the chapter.**

Chapter 7

Castiel spent the next day in bed, switching off between crying and staring vacantly at the wall. He refused to get up even for food. The flowers Dean had dropped lay next to him, crumpled and ruined. While he gazed at the wall, his fingers stroked lightly over the wilting petals.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, making Cas jump slightly. He glared in the general direction of the front door as whoever was there kept ringing it urgently. He sat in bed and ignored it, and eventually the ringing went away. Castiel turned away from the door to stare at his wall again.

"You're being a bit of a baby, you know."

Castiel jolted up, whipping around to see Meg leaning against his open doorway. In one hand she held a thermos, in the other, a plastic shopping bag.

"I'm already mad at you. Being rude isn't helping," Castiel snapped at her.

Meg sighed sadly and took a step into his room. "Can I sit down?"

"No."

Meg just rolled her eyes and grabbed a chair, sliding it next to his bed.

"I brought you soup," she said, sitting down and holding out the thermos. "It's chicken noodle, your favorite."

Cas glared at her, refusing to take the thermos. She set it down on the bed and reached into the shopping bag, pulling out a spoon.

"I also brought ice cream," she said, digging through the bag for a carton of Ben and Jerry's cookie dough.

Castiel continued to glower, determined not to accept anything from her. Unfortunately, his growling stomach eventually won out. He snatched up the ice cream and the spoon, ripping the lid off and digging in.

"I know all your weaknesses," Meg smiled.

"I'm still angry at you," Cas said around a mouthful of ice cream, although the softness in his eyes betrayed him.

"You could never stay angry at me," Meg said softly, her smile turning sad.

"But I can't just forgive you." Cas set the ice cream down and sat up straighter, sitting criss-cross-apple-sauce on his bed **(AN: If anyone knows a legitimate term for that way of sitting, let me know because I have no freaking clue. Saying 'legs crossed' makes me think of them stretched out, one on top of the other.) **

"I'm really sorry, you know. I didn't think he was going to walk in at that exact moment."

"That doesn't make things better, Meg," Castiel realized how hurt his voice sounded. "This is something you can just apologize or explain away."

"I know."

"Do you, Meg? Do you really know?" Cas started to get angry, but it was a quiet rage. "Because I don't think you do."

"Then explain!" Meg began to shout. "Explain to me, because I clearly don't understand!"

"I-" Cas ran his fingers furiously through his hair, searching for the right words. "I just-"

"Can you explain, Cas? Do _you _even understand?"

"Don't you dare," Castiel spat furiously. "Don't you dare try and make this is out as less than it is."

Meg leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow pointedly at Cas.

"Dean's like us, Meg. Don't you get that? He's friendless, and damaged, and no one seems to care." Castiel picked up one of the flowers that lay on his bed, trailing a finger over one of the delicate petals. "People think that because Dean's deaf, he's broken. They don't even bother to take a closer look. He's like you and me were, once upon a time. Back before we'd found each other. His whole life and he hasn't had a single friend."

Meg's anger melted away, replaced by guilt.

"That's not true," she said. "He has you."

"Yeah, and some friend I've turned out to be," Castiel laughed bitterly. "Can you imagine what he went through? What you and I have put him through? He never let anyone in, because all he knew was rejection. And then, somehow, he let me break down those walls. And he- he had feelings for me. And, probably for the first time in his entire life, someone actually reciprocated those feelings.

"I think, for the first time ever, he saw himself being something other than alone. And then he walked through the door, and he saw me, saw us, and the entire fantasy came crashing down around his ears. Imagine if that were you. Every insecurity, every bitter generalization you formed of people in general turns out to be true. And you learn that from the one person you in the whole universe you thought you could actually trust."

"I don't have to imagine that, Cas." Meg stared down at her lap."

"W-what?"

"That's how I felt when you told me you asked him out. I hate people, you know that. But I don't hate you. And I knew there would never be anything between us, but I was okay with that. It would still be you and me, taking on the world together. Meg and Castiel, two unstoppable forces. And you brought Dean in. I felt replaced." There was no resentment behind her words.

"Meg, I didn't even think-"

"It's fine," Meg cut him off. "Don't apologize. I'm not angry. I get it now."

Cas gave her a half smile and patted his bed, scooting over to make room for her. She got up and sat next to him, leaning on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Look at us," he said, stroking her hair. "Some unstoppable forces we are. We're complete messes."

"So let's do something about it. We've already worked through my issues, now let's work through yours. "

"We've worked through your issues?" Cas quirked his head to the side.

"Yeah. We love each other, and we're going to be best friends forever, and we're going to share that with Dean."

"We are?" Castiel was confused by the sudden turn of events. "I thought you didn't like him."

"Well, yeah, but then you explained. Besides, nothing's worth losing this."

"Well, crap." Cas tightened his arm around her. "You were right. I do love you."

"I know," she smiled, sitting up straight. "Now let's get your boyfriend back."

"How?"

Meg smirked, grabbing a pad of paper and pen off of Castiel's bedside table.

"I have a few ideas."


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: It's been a while. Sorry. Shit went down.**

Chapter 8

Castiel walked into class nervously. He didn't know what to expect from Dean, but whatever it was, it wouldn't be good. However, when he got to his seat, Dean's was still empty. Cas dropped into his chair and waited, watching the door apprehensively.

Dean burst in just as the bell rang. Cas's heart plummeted in his chest. If Cas had thought he was bad, then Dean was a complete disaster. Dean's hair was flat against his head, rather than in its usual spiky style. His cheeks were covered in stubble and his clothes were rumpled. But the worst part was his eyes.

Dean's eyes, usually so green and vibrant, had turned empty and dull. They were bloodshot and puffy, as if he'd spent the night crying rather than sleeping. They flicked up, meeting Castiel's gaze for a mere millisecond before darting away again. In that instance of contact, though, they filled with pain and anger.

Dean trudged to his seat, fists stuffed into his pockets. He dropped his bag roughly at his desk before sitting down, making sure to glare forward, or down, or anywhere that wasn't Cas.

Cas dug through his bag for a paper and pen, but as he went to write, he stopped himself. What do you say to someone when you've taken everything from him?

The pen hovered above the page. Castiel didn't know where to start. Should he apologize? Or explain? Or check and see how he could make Dean feel better? After a few minutes of battling in his head, Cas settled for an apology. After all, it's what Cas himself would be waiting for.

Cas reached over hesitantly, dropping the note onto Dean's desk with trembling fingers. The instant the paper hit the desk top, Dean's hand shot out, flicking it to the floor. Castiel tried again. Again, Dean rejected him. Over and over, Castiel tried to apologize, and every time, Dean refused to even look at the note.

_I'm sorry _ended up on the floor.

_Forgive me _got torn into pieces.

_Let me explain, Just listen to me, _and _I miss you _all got turned into spitballs.

_Give me a chance to make it up to you _got crumpled and tossed into the trash.

_You're right to hate me _became a wrapper for Dean's chewed gum.

_I think I hate myself more than you do _got used for a doodle of a solitary figure with a knife and a demon-like grin, his free hand holding a pair of angels' wings.

Cas was adamant, though. He reached out to drop the next note onto Dean's desk, but this time, when Dean's hand moved to knock it off, Cas grabbed his wrist. Cas shoved the note into Dean's wrist, forcing him to at least hold it. Dean's eyes narrowed dangerously at Cas, and he released Dean's arm quickly.

Still staring menacingly at Castiel, Dean reached slowly into his pocket, pulling out a lighter. He flicked it open, holding the note over the flame. He dropped the smoldering remains of the apology onto Castiel's desk.

Suddenly, Ms. Tate screamed, causing Cas to jump in his seat.

"Castiel, what-" she stopped when her eyes caught the lighter in Dean's hand. She snapped her mouth shut and stormed forward. Holding Dean by the collar of his leather jacket, Ms. Tate dragged him from his chair. As she marched him out of the room, Dean glared back at Cas, a self-satisfied yet completely loathing smirk playing across his lips.

When Castiel got out of class minutes later, Meg was already waiting for him.

"That was fast," he commented dryly, raising an eyebrow.

"I skipped math," she shrugged. "How'd it go?"

Cas's face fell. "Not well. He refused to read a single thing, just as I had predicted."

"Alright then," Meg said, looping her arm through Cas's as they set down the hall. "I guess it's time to put our plan into action."

**AN: I know it's a short chapter. Sorry.**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Hey guys. Hopefully this chapter will be a better length. Much like my other fanfic, it includes a mini-story sort of. In a different way.**

** To show how much I appreciate your reviews, I'm going to respond to them. All of them. All the way back from chapter 1. Except for repeats or "Wow can't wait for more! Don't read the responses if you don't want to.**

**jokergirl94: More Than Words is by The Extreme. It's beautiful. I'm currently trying to re-teach it to myself on the guitar. It's a challenge.**

**Pyro42x: Thanks! I didn't even think about the interaction between Meg and Cas until Goodbye Stranger. My mind was blown when I found out they had a ship. And I kinda half ship it. Just the whole "unicorn" thing. It was too adorable to resist.**

**Pyro42x: You'll see where I'm going with the Impala thing. Maybe soon. We'll see.**

**catchthegoldensnitch7: Thanks! I always feel like them calling each other pet names is a little OOC. I mean, it's frikkin adorable, but there you have it. Both Dean and Castiel have always seemed like men of action to me.**

**despntiel: All will be well soon enough, my dear.**

**catchthegoldensnitch7: Yeah, I feel you. Indian style sounds weird. I'm glad you like the term I used. Dean can't stay mad at Cas for too long. I'll make it as long as I can but I don't want to stretch it out unnecessarily. And don't worry, I enjoy a happy ending.**

**JPS: Thanks! I hate when people ruin a character or make them bitchy just because the get in the way of their ship.**

**MissNica: Thanks! The deaf!Dean high school AU was requested by maggiemoooo.**

**NOW ONWARDS TO THE STORY!**

Chapter 9

Castiel flattened his white button down and straightened his tie as he approached Dean in the hallway. A few months had passed since the whole debacle. Dean had continued ignoring Cas's attempts at apologizing, though never as extremely as he had the first day. He just had stared resolutely forwards as the notes piled on his desk every day. Castiel took every feeling he put into each one of those notes and applied it to making things right.

Cas shook himself out of his memories of the past few months. He steeled himself with a deep breath, reaching out to grab Dean's shoulder. The boy whipped around, startled, his surprised expression turning to a glare when he saw Castiel. He yanked his shoulder away from Cas's hand, flipped him off, and turned to walk down the hallway. Cas grabbed his arm and pulled him back around.

_That's not the only sign language I understand, _Castiel signed, trying to hide his smirk as Dean's jaw practically dropped to the floor.

_You know how to sign?_ Dean's green eyes were wide with shock as his fingers fumbled in his haste to respond.

_I learned. For you._

Suddenly, Dean's eyes hardened. _That doesn't magically make things better between us._

_ I know._

_ Just because you learned sign language doesn't mean I can trust you again._

_ I know. But I thought it would help. Will you let me explain?_

After a few moments of consideration, Dean nodded, his jaw tight.

_I understand why you're so hurt, _Cas began. He had rehearsed what he was going to say, but it didn't make it any easier. _You trusted me, and I betrayed you._

_ You're not exactly making me feel better, _Dean interrupted. However, his chest warmed slightly at the realization that now, thanks to Castiel, he _could _interrupt.

_Can I finish? _Castiel raised an eyebrow, giving Dean an almost chastising look. Dean ducked his head sheepishly, motioning for Cas to continue.

_Meg had feelings for me, and I didn't realize it, _Castiel went on.

_I'm sorry, but you didn't notice? _Dean couldn't help but interrupt again. _She was coming on even stronger than I was._

Castiel stared at Dean pointedly.

_Sorry, sorry, go on,_ Dean signed.

_As you know, I had no sexual attraction to her. _Castiel blushed. He was still not entirely comfortable with the idea of sex, and was nowhere near as flippant about it as either Meg or Dean. _When she discovered I asked you out, she was hurt and tried to explain her feelings. I refused to believe her. I think I was mostly afraid of puncturing the bubble that surrounded her and me in our perfect world. To prove her point, she kissed me. As you're well aware, that's when you walked in._

Dean's jaw tightened as memories of the rejection and hurt washed through him.

_I promise you, _Castiel continued, _neither of us meant any harm to you. Meg had grown desperate in proving her affections, and I had grown desperate in deflecting them. We've worked it out, however. There are no romantic intentions between either of us._

_ You're still friends with her. _Dean's expression told Castiel it was a statement, not a question.

_Yes. And I've been trying to make this whole disaster up to you. Thanks to her, I believe have. It was her idea I learn sign language. But she helped with something more. I'd really love to show it to you, if you don't mind._

Castiel's blue eyes were hopeful and apologetic. Dean chewed on his lip, unsure.

_Fine, _Dean signed eventually. _But I can't promise I'll forgive you._

Cas nodded excitedly. He held a hand out, silently asking for Dean's. After a moment's hesitation, Dean complied. Castiel led him down the hallway and out the door to the parking lot. The energy on Castiel's face combined with the light pressure of his hand in Dean's made it hard for Dean not to smile. They climbed into Castiel's Impala and were out of the lot in no time.

When they got to Castiel's house, Castiel helped Dean out of the car, stepping behind him and placing a hand over his eyes. Dean tensed, now robbed entirely of sight _and _sound, but relaxed slightly when Castiel placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him forward into the house.

Castiel removed his hand, and Dean had to blink repeatedly against the sudden brightness. Sitting on a table in front of Dean was a sketchbook. He reached for it hesitantly, Castiel nodding encouragingly next to him.

The first page contained a few words, written in carefully inked calligraphy.

**_I know you appreciate art, and I understand why. I, on the other hand, find comfort in words. As of late, though, I've seen how the two complement each other, giving them a magnitude that cannot be achieved when each stands alone._**

Dean turned the page with trembling fingers. The left hand page had a painting, while the right hand page had more of Castiel's elegant calligraphy. Dean's eyes moved over the painting, drinking it in.

There was a single figure, the silhouette of a man, plain and gray, curled in a ball on the floor. Its arms were wrapped around its legs, its head resting on its knees. A tine white space surrounded the figure. Outside of the small circle of protection, dozens of grinning beasts lay waiting, each one blood red.

**_Once upon a time, you were alone and afraid. Anyone and everyone was a threat, another potential opportunity for pain. You put up a barrier that no one challenged. _**

Dean turned the page quickly, eager for more. The next drawing showed the same figure, this time with a bright blue winged figure hovering over it. The gray man's body now had some pale blue in it too, the brightest area being his shoulder, where the angel's hand was placed. Already, the snarling creatures in the background were fading to a soft red.

**_Even from the beginning, I think you painted me in your mind as an angel. I was your angel, the first to even attempt to break down your walls. And I found it was easy, that you were craving companionship just as much as I was._**

Dean flipped the page more slowly this time, his chest full of warmth, yet aching.

Now, the two figures were in the air, flying above the beasts, which had now paled to a light pink. Both figures were bright yellow now, the original suspended in the air by his angel.

**_I'd like to think we made each other better, you and I. We didn't just survive; we lived. We thrived. _**

The dull ache in Dean's chest grew as he realized what had to come next. Sure enough, the next page showed the angel hovering alone in the air, no longer yellow, but blood red, like the monsters from the first page. It too was grinning, showing sharp pointed teeth. The wings looked more angular, like that of a bat. The first figure was now pure black, and falling through the air. Directly beneath him was a pit filled with flames, lower than the original ground. The black figure's hands reached out for the angel, but the angel had turned away. The opposite page contained only one sentence.

**_Your angel became a demon. _**

Dean turned the page quickly again, not wanting to be reminded of the moment any more than necessary. The next painting showed two different places, separated by a jagged line down the middle of the page. The demon and the man sat in positions very similar to that on the first page, facing away from each other in a near-fetal position. Both silhouettes were black. This time, instead of the stalking beasts waiting for them, they were both entirely alone, surrounded only by empty whiteness. The demon still grinned ferociously, but tears slid down its face. Blood trailed down its back where its wings had once been.

**_We were both ruined. I would say I could only imagine the pain I put you through, but that's not true. I know that anguish, I've experienced it firsthand. I think that's the worst part of all this._**

Dean took a deep breath to steady himself before turning to the next page.

The demon was now simply a man, with bandages on his back to cover the wounds from the lost wings. He stood over the first figure, who was still curled in his original position from page one. The second man's arm was extended, waiting for the first one to take his hand.

**_I'd like to start over, not as an angel, not as a demon, but as a man. I've seen the battlefield, just like you, but my wounds are healing. I hope yours can, too._**

Beneath the neat calligraphy was another note. This was written in Castiel's normal handwriting, both neatly imperfect and imperfectly neat.

_The rest of this sketchbook is empty. Our story isn't over, and I don't know what will happen next. The rest is for you to fill in as we go along, if you want. I know my artwork is nowhere near as spectacular as yours, but I hope you appreciate it all the same. Yours, Castiel._

Dean closed the sketchbook slowly, his fingers tracing the edges. He kept his eyes down, sorting through the emotions swirling up inside him. Part of him felt raw and hurt, the betrayal still fresh in his mind. But as he looked down at the book in front of him, the sharp holes in his chest began to dull and close. Eventually, he looked up to find Castiel's blue eyes watching him nervously.

_I still have feelings for you, _Castiel signed quickly. _But I know what I did, and I've learned recently that losing a friendship isn't worth it. I'm ready to be whatever you need._

_Can I have a pencil, please? _Dean signed back. Castiel furrowed his brow in confusion, but complied. Dean flipped to the next page in his new sketchbook, quickly sketching. When he was done, he handed the book to Cas.

Castiel examined the sketch, still confused. Even having been done in a matter of seconds, the drawing was exquisite. The two figures sat facing each other, each leaning forward towards the other. Their lips met in the middle. Castiel whipped his head up quickly, a question forming on his lips.

Instantly, Dean's mouth was on his. At first, Castiel's eyes widened in surprise, but they quickly fluttered shut as Dean's lips opened against his own. He lost himself in the kiss, his fingers moving to thread themselves into the hair at the base of Dean's neck. He responded to Dean's eager lips with an urgency of his own, gasping as Dean pulled him closer with a hand around his tie.

Eventually, they broke apart, gasping for air. Castiel's hair was ruffled, his face flushed, his lips pink and swollen.

_So… _Cas signed. _Is that a yes?_

Dean rolled his eyes with a grin, yanking Cas down by his tie for another kiss.

**AN: Woo! I'm thinking one more chapter, sort of epilogue-ish. I hope you enjoyed. If anyone wants to fanart this *COUGH COUGH HINT HINT WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE* feel free.**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: More review replies!**

**FTWeepingbell: Thank you very much. I have a couple other stories already, a one shot and a full length one. The one shot is called "A Summer's Breeze" and the story is called "Olallieberry Pie".**

**Ale: I'm sorry I made you cry. Don't worry, it's not over yet.**

**Now, onwards! I don't really know where this chapter's going yet, so bear with me. It may be the end, there may be one more chapter. We'll see when we get there.**

Chapter 10

Weeks had passed since the boys got together. Every weekend, Castiel would go to Dean's house for a date of some sort. Occasionally, he would catch glimpses of Dean's younger brother, Sam, or his father, John, but these instances were very rare.

Sometimes, on these dates, they would eat dinner. Sometimes, they would watch a movie. Sometimes, even Meg would join them. Sometimes, they'd just sit for hours on end, asking questions about each other.

Castiel was always hesitant on these nights. He was anxious to learn more about Dean, but afraid of pushing too much. Although he was more and more comfortable around Cas every day, Dean still had a lot of boundaries and barriers.

On one of the days where they would sit and talk- er, sign- they got on the subject of childhood.

_I have plenty three brothers and a sister, _Castiel told Dean. _I only have one younger sibling, Anna. Above me are Michael, Balthazar, and Gabriel. Balthazar and Gabriel were always my favorites._

_ Why's that? _Dean asked.

_Michael was always very prim and proper. Gabe and Balthazar at least know how to have fun. They would always play with me when I was younger, even though Michael wouldn't. What about you? _Castiel shifter forward eagerly, excited to learn more about Dean. _What was it like being deaf as a child?_

_ I couldn't tell you._

Cas smacked Dean's shoulder in response to his cryptic answer. _Would you care to elaborate?_

_ I wasn't born deaf, you know. _Dean looked down at his lap. Eventually, Castiel placed a hand on Dean's cheek, raising Dean's head so he could see Dean's eyes.

_I'm sorry. I had no idea. I understand if you don't want to talk about it._

_ It's fine. You're allowed to be curious. _Again, Dean's eyes darted tucked a finger under Dean's chin, making him looking up again.

_It's not fine if you're not comfortable._

Dean took a deep breath. _No. This is something I want to share with you._

Castiel's heart practically burst in his chest as he read the sincerity in Dean's green eyes. Cas pulled Dean forward with a hand on the back of his neck, kissing him lightly. As he moved back, Dean leaned forward, not ready to break the kiss. Cas granted him one last kiss before pushing him back with a smile.

_What was that for? _Dean asked, trying not to smirk.

_You want to share your past with me. That's not something small or unimportant. It means a lot to me._

Dean stilled Castiel's hands with his own. He sat in silence, playing with Cas's fingers, watching their hands the whole time. After a few minutes, Cas slipped his hands away.

_Are you alright?_

Dean's lip quirked in the semblance of a smile as he nodded slightly. _Just thinking about where to start._

Cas quirked his head to the side, waiting patiently as Dean gathered his thoughts.

_You remember my mom died when I was 4? _Dean began. Cas nodded in response, his eyes staying trained on Dean's.

_Well, she died in a car crash, _Dean continued. _I was in the car with her at the time. It was so long ago, but I can still remember everything so clearly. I remember we had just gone to the store. I was complaining that I had wanted ice cream while we were there. She promised to bake me a fresh apple pie, my favorite, when we got home._

Cas noticed Dean's fingers began to tremble.

_Right as we crossed into the intersection, she turned to me and smiled. She said 'Anything for my little angel.' All I remember after that is a bright flash of light, and a really loud, high-pitched noise. When I woke up in the hospital later, the doctors explained to me that the sound was caused by a combination of glass hitting my eardrums and the force of the air bag hitting me. At first, I was so confused. I didn't understand why everyone was writing everything down for me, instead of just telling me._

Castiel swallowed around the lump in his throat as he watched Dean's tear-filled eyes. They were looking past Castiel, no doubt rewatching what had to be the worst moment in Dean's life.

_They explained how the damage done to my ears meant I wouldn't be able to hear anymore. I looked to my dad, hoping he would tell me they were lying to me, but he didn't._ _After all, there was nothing he could do. I remember looking around for my mom next. She would tell me everything was ok. She would kiss me, and tell me the angels were watching over me, and then she would sing Hey Jude to me until I fell asleep._

_ I remember trying to call out for her. I suppose I must have actually said something out loud, because my father broke down into tears and the doctors began to write a new note to me._

_ I didn't believe them, at first. I sat there for three weeks, waiting for my mother to come in and make everything better. Finally, I had to accept the truth._

Castiel didn't know what to say. He could hardly imagine the pain Dean had just relived.

_I've never told anyone this story before. _Dean somehow managed to quirk his lips in a smile. _I feel… better, almost. It was hard, but I feel good._

_ Thank you for sharing this with me, Dean. _Castiel tried to show just how much he valued the story into his signing, but found the feeling hard to convey without his voice.

_If it had to be anyone, I'm glad it was you._

Castiel smiled and kissed Dean's fingertips before moving to kiss away his tears.

**AN: So I lied. There's more chapters. I thought of more plot to add, so yay.**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Time for more responses to my reviews.**

**Ishouldbesleepingitslike4am: Did you know that if you get 9 more people to bow down to me and proclaim me as their holy one, it would be a legitimate religion? Get cracking on that. I wouldn't mind being a god.**

**SuperWhoLockedsince'12: Thanks! Sorry for the tears, but they happen to sustain me and bring me great joy.**

**So this chapter is going to be told differently. There's going to be some italicized words. Those are a sort of narration. Their signing to each other will be bolded AND italicized. Also, this may be the second to last chapter. Sorry.**

Chapter 11

_A few years passed peacefully for the boys. After sharing their first kiss, they continued to share many firsts with each other._

_ There was the time of their first real graduation:_

Castiel gripped Dean's hand tightly as they stood in the long line of seniors waiting to be announced and receive their diplomas. After much arguing with the office administration, Castiel had convinced them to let him stand by Dean to ensure he would receive his diploma at the right time. Honestly, though, they just wanted to stand next to each other.

"Cassandra Wallace," the principal called. Cas squeezed Dean's hand excitedly- they were next.

"Castiel Novak," the principal said into his microphone. Castiel gave Dean a quick kiss before walking forward. Dean counted in his head to 10 as they had practiced before following Cas up the steps to the podium. He shook the principal's hand as he accepted the diploma, sending a smile into the crowd where he knew Sam would be taking pictures. Sure enough, there he was, standing an extra 2 heads over everyone else in the crowd, waving his arms, clearly cheering at the top of his lungs.

After everyone had been called and the caps had been thrown, Castiel turned to Dean, only to be swept up into the largest hug imaginable.

**_Congratulations, _**Dean signed with a grin.

**_You too. I'm very proud of you. _**Castiel beamed widely at Dean, until, suddenly, his lips were otherwise occupied.

**_Sammy's been dying to meet you! _**Dean signed quickly as pulled back from the kiss. **_Come on!_**

****Castiel just rolled his eyes fondly as he grabbed Dean's hand, allowing himself to be dragged into the crowd.

* * *

_There was the time of their first 'I love you':_

Cas pushed his reading glasses further up his nose as he bent in closer to his computer screen. He was working on a paper for Economics 101 class; it was due in a week and he was still needed five more pages.

Cas gave up with a sigh, moving his laptop from his lap to his bedside table. He slid his hands under his glasses as he rubbed his eyes roughly. Suddenly, his dorm room door burst open. Castiel glanced up just in time for Dean to jump on top of him.

The next thing Cas knew, Dean was kissing him soundly. Surprised, but by no means complaining, Castiel let his eyes flutter shut as he responded enthusiastically. When Dean finally pulled away, there was a spark in his green eyes.

**_Not that I'm upset or anything, but what was that for? _**Cas asked with a smile.

**_I go the job at the art studio down the street!_**

**_ Congratulations! _**Cas beamed. **_I knew you'd get it._**

**_ Thank you so much. _**Dean was suddenly serious. **_Without you, I never would've even applied. Truly, this is all because of you. My first real job, and I get to do what I love. Thanks to you. _**Dean began to ramble as the excitement took over again. **_It's just so exciting and it's really close to the college campus which means I can still take a few classes and I'll still be able to see you during the day and I'm just really ready for this job and I just love you so much and-_**

****Castiel stopped Dean's rapid fingers with his hand.

**_Did you just say you love me?_**

****Dean turned bright red. **_Did I sign that, too? _**

****Cas nodded.

**_Well, I do. After all, you've done so much for me, and I just always love being with you and we've been going out for a yea-_**

****Castiel stilled Dean's hands and grabbed his face, pulling him forward for a kiss.

**_Stop rambling, you dolt, _**Castiel smiled, reaching out to stroke Dean's stubbled cheek. **_I love you, too. _**

* * *

****_Of course, they shared many more firsts. First time having sex, first time living together, first time Castiel published a book, first time Dean sold an art piece. Life was better than either of them could ever imagine. Until one afternoon in late July, when the sky was blue, the sun warm, and the breeze cool, when Castiel discovered something on his computer._

Cas burst into their living room to find Dean napping on the couch. He grabbed Dean's shoulder, shaking him awake roughly. Dean startled awake, rubbing an eye blearily when he saw it was Castiel.

**_Is everything alright? _**Dean asked, trying to hold back a yawn.

**_Dr. Kofax just e-mailed me._**

****Dean tilted his head in confusion. What did his doctor have to do with anything?

**_He sent back some really interesting information about your check up from a few days ago, _**Castiel continued.

Dean began to panic slightly. **_Is there something wrong with me?_**

**_ No, not at all, _**Cas assured him quickly. Dean slouched back on the couch, relieved. **_In fact, he sent me some really great news._**

**_ Well don't keep it to yourself, _**Dean prompted. **_What's going on?_**

**_ As you know, the debris from the glass left a lot of scar tissue in your ear, _**Castiel began. Dean nodded, encouraging Cas to go on. **_Well, he says that some new technology has come out, making all the scar tissue easily removable._**

****Dean tried to ignore the swelling in his heart, afraid of getting his hopes up.

**_So what you're saying is… _**Dean stopped, waiting for Castiel to finish explaining.

**_All they'll need to do is a really simple surgery._**

**_ And? _**Dean was unable to believe it until Cas said it himself.

**_And you'll be able to hear again. _**

* * *

****Dean gripped Castiel's hand tightly as some nurses wheeled his hospital bed through the hallways to the operating room. They stopped outside a set of double doors, alerting Castiel that he wasn't allowed beyond that point.

**_See you in a few hours, Dean. _**Castiel leaned over the bed's railing to kiss Dean. **_I love you._**

**_ I love you, too._**

****Cas stepped back, getting out of the way of the nurses. He ran a hand through his hair with a weary sigh, resigned to wait through the next few torturously slow hours.

About four hours later, they wheeled Dean's bed back into his room. There was a set of stitches along the inside of each ear. He was sleeping peacefully, still knocked out from the anesthesia. Castiel jumped out of his chair when Dr. Kofax walked in.

"The surgery went just as planned," Dr. Kofax said. "There were no complications whatsoever."

"He'll be able to hear?" Cas asked shakily.

"Yes. And because he was four when he lost his hearing, he'll be able to speak a little. It won't be much, and the vocabulary will be very limited. He'll only know how to pronounce words he knew when he was four, but he should be able to learn very quickly."

Cas gave out a relieved sigh. "Thank you so much."

"It's my pleasure," Dr. Kofax smiled. He glanced down at his watch. "The anesthesia should wear off in about half an hour or so. He'll be groggy, but it should wear off very quickly. I'll let you two be alone for a while. Let a nurse know when he's awake so we can do some routine checks."

Dr. Kofax did a quick last check on Dean's ears before leaving the room to tend to other patients. With in minutes, Dean was stirring sleepily.

Dean rubbed his eye with the hand Cas wasn't holding. Suddenly, he sat straight up in his bed, eyes wide open and alert. The green eyes, always lively, lit up with a spark. Dean's jaw dropped slowly, but no sound came out of his mouth.

"Hello, Dean."

Dean's head whipped around quickly to look at Castiel with awe.

"Again," Dean said hoarsely, his face breaking into a grin when he heard his own voice. He signed along with what he said, both out of habit and to make sure Castiel understood. "My name. Again."

Castiel smiled. "Dean."

Dean grabbed Cas's face roughly, yanking him forward for a kiss. Castiel could feel Dean laugh against his lips.

"Your name," Dean demanded, leaving his hands on the sides of Cas's face.

"Castiel."

"Castiel," Dean repeated with a softer smile. He leaned forward to kiss Cas again. "Castiel. I-" Dean paused with a slight frown, searching for words he hadn't said in years.

"I love you, Dean."

Dean practically glowed. "I love you, Castiel."

**AN: OK I LIED THERE'S MORE CHAPTERS I JUST CAN'T HELP IT.**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Ok for reals this time. 3 more chapters.**

**Reviews!**

**SuperWhoLockedsince'12: I'm no Steven Moffat, but I do thrive on the pain and emotions of others. Cheers.**

**Ishouldbesleepingitslike4am: I dunno, I feel like it COULD have ended there, but there's more I want to do with it.**

**Ale: M? I don't get it…**

**BeccySaysRawr: I'm no Satan, although Mark Pellegrino is quite fine.**

**AND ONWARDS TO THE CHAPTER!**

Chapter 12

Dean scooted to the side, patting the empty space next to him. Castiel gladly joined him on the hospital bed, pressing the call button before settling down. A nurse quickly entered the room.

"Oh good!" she said cheerfully. "You're up! And apparently everything's working," she added as Dean nodded happily. "I'm going to do some quick checks and then I'll leave you two alone."

Dean reached out and grabbed her arm as she turned away. "Name things?" he asked, giving her his best puppy dog look.

"Sure!" she said, perpetually smiling. "I'm Jo."

"Jo," Dean murmured. "Pretty."

"Thank you! I'll say everything I do so you can learn, okay?"

"Okay."

Castiel threaded his fingers through Dean's as Jo tested Dean's ears. She reached out a hand and put it by Dean's left ear and snapped, naming the action as she did it. The noise right by Dean's ear caused it to twitch slightly. She did the same on the right side.

"Perfect! You're reflexes all seem to be working."

"Reflexes?" Dean asked, glancing at Castiel for help.

"Here," Cas offered, grabbing a pad of paper and some pens from a bag at the foot of the bed. He wrote the word down and handed it to Dean to read.

"Reflexes," Dean repeated, sounding out each letter as- well, as a four year old would.

Next, Jo grabbed a tool off the wall.

"This is called an otoscope," she explained. "Doctors use it to look in people's ears." She examined his ears swiftly, replacing the tool to its proper spot with satisfaction.

"Everything's looking good," she said, turning to Castiel. "We'd like him to stay overnight for another check tomorrow morning, just to make sure none of the scar tissue is reforming."

"Thank you so much!" Castiel called as she left the room. He reached down, hoisting his bag onto the bed.

Castiel turned to Dean as he unzipped his bag. "I thought we could read out loud together to help build your vocabulary," he said, signing as well as speaking to make sure Dean understood. Hopefully, if Castiel used the two together, Dean would make the connections between each word and how it was said.

"I thought we could start with something simple." Castiel handed a thin book to Dean.

"_Green Eggs and Ham_," Dean read, shooting Cas a 'you-can't-be-serious' look.

"What?" Cas asked defensively. "I thought it'd be easy, and clearly I was right. You have the vocal vocabulary of four year old. That makes Dr. Suess a good place to start."

"Dr. Suess… for babies," Dean grumbled brokenly.

"Then at least it will help with your grammar," Castiel teased.

Dean just crossed his arms and pouted.

"How bout this," Castiel said as he stroked Dean's hair. "For every book you finish, you get a kiss. Deal?"

"Deal," Dean smirked. He pulled the book onto his lap and opened it confidently. He zoomed through the book, hardly stumbling. When he was done, he smirked triumphantly at Cas.

"Now was that so bad?" Cas asked.

"Shut up and give me my kiss."

Castiel smiled as he leaned forward, barely grazing Dean's lips with his own.

"Hey!" Dean pouted. "What was that?"

"Read a harder book and you'll get a better kiss," Cas smirked.

They read for hours, Dean growing increasingly confident with each book. By the time some nurses brought in lunch, Dean's grammar was near perfect and his speech was fluid.

When they finished eating, Dean started to get out of bed.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Cas asked, getting up after him.

"I'm tired of sitting around," Dean replied, fishing through the bag of clothes they had brought with them. "I want to get out, hear the birds chirp and the wind blow or whatever." He pulled on a pair of jeans under his hospital gown.

"I don't know," Castiel said, unsure. "Maybe we should check with a nurse first to-" Cas trailed off.

"To what?" Dean smirked, his hospital gown lying on the floor.

Cas cleared his throat. "To, uh, to-"

Dean crossed his arms over his bare chest. "I'm waiting."

"Oh, shut up," Castiel growled, wrapping his arms around Dean's neck and pulling him down for a kiss. Dean chuckled against Cas's lips when the shorter man moaned slightly.

"I could get used to hearing things like that," Dean murmured before kissing Cas again, his arms snaking around Castiel's waist.

"Uh…. Should I come back later?"

Dean's head whipped towards the door. "Sammy?"

"Hey, Dean." Sam stood in the doorway of the hospital room, hands in his pocket. His neck was flushed red. Castiel wondered why before realizing how he and Dean were standing. Embarrassed, he stepped back slightly from Dean.

Dean strode quickly towards the door, pulling Sam into a strong hug.

"It's good to see you too, Dean," Sam laughed, patting Dean's back. "Maybe you could put on a shirt, though?"

"Sorry," Dean said, releasing him. "It's just so good to hear your voice, Sammy." Dean pulled a shirt out of his bag and slipped it on.

"It's even better hearing yours," Sam replied. "And most people call me Sam, now."

"Too bad," Dean smiled. "You'll always be Sammy to me."

Castiel, Sam, and Dean talked for the next few hours. Eventually, Sam had to leave for school. Once he left, a sort of quiet fell over the room. Dean started pacing, unable to sit still.

"Are you okay, Dean?" Castiel asked, concerned.

"I… I don't like it getting so quiet," he confessed. "It makes me nervous."

"Well, let's find something to fill up the silence, then," Cas suggested. "What about music?"

"Okay," Dean answered. "What kind of music?"

"What kind do you like?"

"I haven't heard music in 13 years," Dean pointed out.

Cas nodded thoughtfully. "Sit down on the bed," he said, pulling his computer out of his bag. "We're going to figure out what kind of music you like."

Dean sat back on the bed, leaving his legs open so Castiel could sit between them.

"Where do you want to start?" Castiel asked, opening his computer as he leaned back into Dean's chest.

"Play me your favorite song," Dean requested, nuzzling his nose into Cas's hair. Cas complied, and classical music began streaming through the computer.

"What'd you think?" Cas asked when the song was done.

"It was nice, but it's not really my style," Dean replied, wrinkling his nose. "What else have you got?"

They went through Castiel's entire iTunes library, eventually moving on to the Internet for other genres. They listened to classical, musicals, country, western, 80's music, rap, metal.

"I like this one," Dean said, perking up when ACDC started playing. "What's so funny?" he asked as Castiel began to chuckle.

"Nothing. It's just very you."

After a little while, Dean began to nod off.

"Do you want me to turn it off?" Castiel asked, getting up so Dean could change from jeans to pajamas.

"Not at all," Dean answered, crawling back into the bed. "But I do want you to come cuddle with me."

"You can't possibly fall asleep with "Highway to Hell" playing," Cas said skeptically.

"So make it something more peaceful. Either way, you still have to come lay down with me."

Cas turned the lights off before climbing into the bed. "What do you want to hear?" he asked, sitting down next to Dean.

"You pick," Dean replied quietly, his eyes already drifting shut.

Suddenly, the perfect song came to Cas. He scrolled through his music quickly, finally finding the song he was looking for. He clicked it, turning to lay down so he was facing Dean. Dean's eyes flew open and he gasped as the music began to play.

_Hey Jude, don't make it bad._

_Take a sad song, and make it better._

_Remember to let her into your heart,_

_Then you can start to make it better._

Dean pulled Cas closer to him, placing a kiss in his hair."Thank you," he murmured.

"I love you," Castiel said, tilting his head up to kiss Dean's jaw.

"I love you, too."

By the time the song was over, Dean was fast asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: AFSADKSFASLD My brain is fried. I just took my AP test for chemistry. Anywho, on to reviews.**

**Ale: OH I GET IT! When you said I should turn into M, you meant the fic rating! I thought you meant like a person or something and the only thing that came to mind was Moriarty but that's not really this fandom and I was extremely confused. I doubt I'll be making this M. Maybe another one. I've never written an M before so I don't know if it'd be any good ^^**

**Ishouldbesleepingitslike4am: Awww, you're reading and you're not even home? That's so touching, thank you!**

**AChapterCanBeABook: OMG stahp, I can't handle that much flattery, it's gonna make me explode.**

**DeanlovesCas: Wow, one night? Thanks! And woo, more tears!**

**Okey doke, guys, I need some song suggestions. Something possibly having to do with angels? I would use More Than Words but I feel like it's not saying what I want it to. Any suggestions?**

**Moving on.**

Chapter 13

The next morning, Jo came in again. After another quick check up, she gave Dean the all clear to go home. While Dean changed in the bathroom, Castiel packed up their things in a blur.

"Woah, where's the fire?" Dean asked, amused, as Cas blew by him as he left the bathroom.

"I have a surprise waiting for you," Castiel replied breathlessly, throwing his computer back in his bag.

"A surprise?" Dean smirked, quirking an eyebrow. "I like the sound of that."

"Oh, get your head out of the gutter," Castiel rolled his eyes. "It's not that kind of surprise."

"Pity."

"I should have known you'd be even more flirty when you could hear again."

"Don't lie, you like it."

Cas shrugged. "You're not wrong." Castiel zipped up the last bag and pulled it over his shoulder. "Ready to go?"

"Someone's in a hurry."

"Someone took forever getting ready," Cas retorted.

"You make a fair point," Dean said, following Cas out the door. "So what's the surprise?" He took Cas's hand as they walked towards the parking lot.

"If I told you, it wouldn't exactly be a surprise."

"But I wanna know!" Dean pouted, but Cas could tell he was trying to hide a smile.

"If I knew you'd be this whiny, I'd never have mentioned that surgery," Castiel teased.

Dean gasped, placing a hand on his chest dramatically. "You wound me, sir!" He stopped walking, causing Castiel to stumble as his hand stayed behind, still enclosed in Dean's.

"Come on, you over dramatic child," Cas said fondly, tugging Dean forward. "Your surprise isn't very far away."

They walked up to the Impala, Cas pulling the keys from his pocket.

"So where's my surprise?" Dean asked, peering through the window. "Is it in the car? Is it a puppy?"

"Yeah, I got you a puppy," Castiel said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

"Seriously, though, I'm dying over here. Is the gift in the car?"

"You haven't had to be patient very often in your life, have you?"

"Not really," Dean shrugged. "Now give me a hint or something!"

"Close your eyes and hold out your hand."

Dean obliged, peeking through an eye as he did so.

"No cheating," Castiel scolded. When Dean had his eyes closed again, Castiel dropped something in his open hand.

"The car keys?" Dean asked, turning the small piece of metal over in his palm. "So the gift _is _in the car!"

"No, you dolt," Cas said. "The gift _is _the car."

Dean laughed. "Very funny. Seriously, though, where's the surprise?"

Cas said nothing, raising an eyebrow at Dean.

"You're giving me the _Impala?" _Dean asked, saying the car's name reverently.

"You fixed her. I figured you deserve it, especially since you can get your license now. She's your baby, not mine." Cas shrugged.

Dean pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. "I have the best boyfriend ever!"

"Say that again."

"What… I have the best boyfriend ever?"

Cas smiled, closing his eyes. "One more time."

"I have the _best _boyfriend ever."

Cas shivered as Dean's lips grazed over his ear.

"Now come on!" Dean said excitedly, making Cas open his eyes. "Time to go home. I have a surprise for you, too!" Dean returned the keys to Castiel, hurrying over to the passenger's side of the car.

They climbed into the car, Dean bouncing eagerly in his seat as Castiel turned on the engine. The car gave a loud purr.

"Oh, baby," Dean laughed giddily, running his hand along the dashboard. "If that isn't the prettiest sound I ever heard."

Cas smiled to himself as Dean continued to stroke the car. Within a few minutes, they were home.

"Time for my gift?" Cas asked as they walked in.

"Time for your gift," Dean affirmed. "But bear with me. This one comes with a sort of… explanation."

Castiel watched Dean expectantly, curious yet patient.

"I never thought I'd be here," Dean began. "I never thought I'd ever have someone I loved the way I love you."

"Dean, I-"

"Let me finish, please." Dean took a deep breath. "Then, for reasons that I still don't quite understand, you decided to be my friend. My first friend."

Castiel's heart began pounding wildly in his chest.

"You've given me so much, Cas. You've given me a friend. You've given me a purpose. And now you've given me back my hearing."

"Dean, that wasn't me, that was the doct-"

"Would you please let me finish? Please?"

Castiel nodded, chewing on his lip anxiously.

"You've given me more than I could ever hope for, but I'm going to ask for one last thing."

Dean got down on one knee in front of Castiel, pulling a black velvet box from his pocket.

"It's cheesy and overly romantic, I know. But I love you, and I want to spend the rest of forever with you, and I never though I'd ever be able to say these words to anyone, let alone hear a response." Dean opened the box, revealing a simple silver band set with blue stones the color of Castiel's eyes. "Will you marry me?"

Dean waited with bated breath, still on his knee, watching Castiel's face for a reaction. What he didn't expect, however, was for Cas to begin to laugh.

"Cas?" Dean asked, partially annoyed, but mostly worried.

"I'm sorry," Cas gasped, trying to stop laughing. "It's not really funny, it's not. But at the same time…" he broke off, laughing again.

"Do you mind explaining?" Dean asked, standing back up.

"This is so typical," Castiel laughed quietly, wiping tears from his eyes. "Yes, Dean. Yes, I'll marry you. But on one condition."

"Which is?"

Castiel slipped a hand into his pocket, producing a ring of his own. "If you'll marry me."

Dean glanced down at the ring, almost identical to the one he had bought for Cas, apart from the color of the stones- these were green, like Dean's eyes. He glanced back up into Cas's laughing eyes before breaking into laughter himself. The two men laughed for minutes, eventually collapsing on the ground.

Eventually, they managed to gasp themselves out of the laughing fit.

"So that's a yes?" Dean asked breathlessly, wiping a tear of laughter from the corner of Castiel's eye.

"Of course. And you?"

"Absolutely."

Dean cupped Castiel's cheek with his hand, pulling him forward for a kiss. He slid Cas's ring onto his finger, and Cas did the same with Dean's.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

They looked back down at their hands and, simultaneously, they dissolved into laughter again.

**AN: Meh. I'm only half-pleased with the way that chapter turned out.**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Wow, so many reviews! :D**

**Makoto04: I feel like most of the proposals I see between them are like you said; really touchy feely and teary-eyed and that's just not them to me. Dean's all manly and shit and Castiel is way too… proud, I guess? Not in a bad way, but like he wouldn't do that. It's not them. Also, I sort of fashioned it after the way Misha proposed to Vicki. watch?v=k7RD8OQ3_bc**

**Faeriefyre16: Thanks! I flail a lot, too.**

**LoveStory-Fanatic: I adore that song, but it's not quite what I'm looking for. Thanks anyways, though! Jensen is so talented (:**

**Viddergirl: Wow, another one-nighter? Thanks!**

**Woo! So, this may have something similar to one of my other stories, I'm not sure yet. I'd rather it didn't but I don't know what else I'll be able to think of. Also, I feel like tonight's episode is going to cause me a lot of pain, and I feel like next week's will be even worse. I'm having a friend come over so we can cry together.**

Chapter 14

If being married was anything like being engaged, Castiel could hardly wait. He was constantly ecstatic. He would hum while he did his schoolwork, whistle while he did odd chores around the house. He even ended up singing quietly to himself one night while preparing dinner.

"What're you singing?" Dean asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Huh?" Cas turned away from the vegetables he was chopping. "Oh, I didn't even notice that was out loud. It's called 'In My Life.'"

"By the Beatles?"

"Yeah," Cas smiled.

"You have a really nice singing voice."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Castiel rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"I think so," Dean shrugged. "Anyways, guess what just happened to me?"

"Hmmmm," Cas turned back to the vegetables, pretending to think. "You realized your life long dream to become a ballerina?"

"No, I've got that penciled in on my schedule for next Thursday," Dean quipped. "Someone talked to me at the diner today."

"Ok?" Cas was confused.

"He saw me working on my latest art piece. He wants to buy it."

"Wow! That's great, Dean." Castiel put the knife down, turning to give Dean a hug. "Now go wash up before dinner. Your father and Sam are coming. You can tell them the good news tonight."

"That's not the only good news we'll be telling them," Dean said, planting a kiss on Cas's cheek as he fingered the ring on his hand.

* * *

"So, John, how's work been going?" Castiel asked as they all settled down for dinner.

"It's been going well. I'm just glad I'm able to be here having dinner with you and my boys," John smiled warmly.

"We're glad you could make it too, Dad," Dean said. "We have a few things we want to talk to both of you about."

"Wha's go'n on?" Sam asked around a huge mouthful of food.

"Chew and swallow, Sam," John chastised as he tried not to smile.

"Sorry," Sam shrugged, swallowing. "I'm in my senior year of high school. Teenage boy metabolism. I'm hungry. Anyways, what's the news?"

"Well, first of all, Cas and I are getting married."

"What?!" Sam leapt out of his chair to hug Dean. "Congratulations!"

"Congratulations," John said with a quiet smile on his face. He got up, hugging first Castiel and then Dean.

"Sammy," Dean continued, "I want you to be my best man."

"Seriously?" Sam asked. "Of course! I'd love to."

"Now for the next bit of news…" Cas began, letting Dean tell his family.

"I've sold another art piece!" Dean announced.

"Good job, son," John smiled.

"But not only have I sold another art piece," Dean went on, "I've sold all my art pieces."

"What?!" Castiel yelped. "You didn't tell me that."

"Surprise," Dean grinned.

"That's gotta be a ton of money," Sam said, his eyes wide. "What're you going to do with all of it?"

"Manners, Sam," John scolded, smacking Sammy lightly upside the head.

"Sorry," Sam apologized again.

"It's fine, Sammy." Dean smiled as Sam bristled slightly at the nickname. "I don't know what I'll do with it. But it's something Cas and I are going to decide together."

"No, Dean," Castiel shook his head. "This is your money. I want you to do what you want with it. Whatever you decide will be amazing, I'm sure."

"Well," Dean started hesitantly, "I was thinking then…. maybe I'll use it to help put Sammy through college?"

"Actually," Sam interrupted, "that brings me to some news I also want to share. Stanford got back to me."

"And?" the entire table asked anxiously.

"I got in...," he grinned.

"It's decided, then," Castiel beamed. "The money's going to Sam's college funds."

"…On a full scholarship," Sam finished.

The entire room went dead silent.

"A full scholarship?" Castiel repeated.

"Yeah," Sam smiled, looking down modestly at the dinner table.

"Wow, I… Congratulations, Sammy," John croaked, clearly both shocked and immensely proud.

"Yeah, really, Sam," Dean said. "Well done."

"Thanks, guys," Sam said, embarrassed. "It's really no big deal."

The dinner continued cheerfully. John thanked Castiel for the wonderful meal, Sam and Dean searched the kitchen for desserts, and Castiel even pulled out a bottle of wine to celebrate all the good news. Just as they were finishing dessert, Sam spoke up again.

"So, uh, Dean… What're you going to do with all the money now?"

"I don't know," Dean shrugged. "I'll have to think about it. In the meantime, though, you should get home. You have school tomorrow, and we don't want to get you kicked out of Stanford already, do we?" Dean teased him, reaching out to ruffle his hair. Sam knocked his arm away playfully. Castiel picked up the dishes from silverware and went to put them in the kitchen as Dean walked his family to the door.

"G'night, Dean," Sam said, wrapping his arms around Dean's waist for a hug like he used to when they were kids. "I'm really excited to be your best man. Congrats again."

"Thanks, Sammy," Dean said quietly, lightly returning the hug.

"Congratulations, Dean," John said, pulling Dean into another hug as Sam stepped away. "I'm really proud of you."

"Thanks, Dad," Dean smiled. "Hey, Dad?" he added, as John began to move away. "Do you… Do you think Mom would've liked Castiel?"

John glanced towards the kitchen, where Cas could be seen whistling cheerfully while he washed up after dinner. He turned back to Dean with a sad smile.

"She would've adored him."

* * *

That night, as Dean and Castiel climbed into bed, the matter of Dean's new wealth kept pushing it's way to the forefront of his mind.

"Hey, Cas?" Dean whispered into the darkness, his arm wrapped around Castiel's waist.

"Yeah?" came the quiet reply.

"I've been thinking about what to do with all that money… I think I want to donate it."

"Yeah? Where to?" Cas asked sleepily.

"Maybe I'll start my own charity," Dean mused. "One for kids who are deaf so they can afford to go to school."

Cas turned in Dean's arms so they were facing each other.

"You'll never cease to amaze me, you know," Cas said, snuggling into Dean's chest.

Dean nuzzled his nose into Castiel's fluffy hair. "I hope I never do."

**AN: What Chuck said is right… endings are hard! This isn't the end, but it's just about there because I'm starting to not like the way I'm writing. If you have any prompts you want me to look at, let me know!**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: AP test in English tomorrow, and then prom on Saturday. Some friends and I went to get our nails done and they somehow convinced me to get acrylics. I'm the polar opposite of a girly girl and I don't know how to function with these talons. Typing is hard. Then again, so is writing.**

**Had my AP English and prom. Now, AP US history tomorrow. Sorry this chapter is taking so long.**

**Reviews!**

**DeanlovesCas: Hahaha, the only fanfic I've ever read in class was a parody one. It was M rated and it was Jesus/Hitler. It was so funny. Thanks, though! I hope you didn't get in trouble for flailing XD.**

**Gustin azza: Wow! You must've read this all at once ^.^ Thanks for reviewing so much!**

**Ale: It doesn't sound rude at all! I agree with you. My problem is that I don't know where to take the story at this point. Usually, when I write, it just starts playing like a movie in my mind, and I just write down everything I see happening. But now, it's like the DVD has a scratch on it, and it's stuck… I just don't know what else to write, but I feel like this is nowhere near good enough to be an ending! It's hard because I really want to make sure I live up to all my readers' expectations. For the M, I'll try writing one, but it'll probably just be a one shot at first, not a whole story. We'll see how it goes.**

**And on we go!**

Chapter 15

Castiel stood in front of a mirror, fidgeting with his silver tie. He turned away from the mirror as Meg walked in, wearing a stunning silver dress. In lieu of a sibling, Cas had asked her to be his (for lack of a better word) maid of honor, and she had graciously agreed.

"You've got your tie on backwards," she pointed out, leaning on the doorway.

He glanced down absent-mindedly. "Oh. I didn't even notice."

"Come here," Meg said, entering the room. She undid his tie and began to re-tie it, properly this time. "Are you okay?"

"No, actually," Cas laughed, hanging his head. "I'm freaking out."

"Hey," Meg said, grabbing his face and tilting it up so they were eye to eye. "You love Dean, right?"

"Yes."

"And Dean loves you."

"Yes."

"So what are you worried about?"

"Everything."

"Deep breaths, Cas," Meg said, releasing his face. "Let's go over the schedule again. First, you…"

"I walk down the aisle," Castiel finished. "Then Dean."

"Right," Meg soothed, smoothing down the shoulders of Castiel's suit. "And then?"

"And then we exchange our vows."

"Exactly," Meg nodded. "See? Nothing to be worried about."

Castiel nodded, still looking slightly ill, as he turned back to the mirror.

Sam opened the door, poking his head into the room.

"You all ready to go?" he asked.

Dean turned around, his hands on his collar as he folded it over his tie.

"Dude," he laughed, "ready doesn't even begin to cover it."

"Wow," Sam smiled, slightly taken aback. "I was expecting at least a little panic."

"No way, Sammy," Dean said, pacing slightly in his excitement. "I've been waiting to marry Castiel since day one."

"Seriously?" Sam laughed, raising an eyebrow.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Okay, maybe not since day one, but you know what I mean."

Sam pulled Dean into a quick hug, leaving a hand on Dean's shoulder as he pulled back. "I'm really proud of you, Dean. I mean, look how far you've come."

"Thanks, Sammy." Dean ruffled Sam's hair with a smile. "Now enough with the chick-flick stuff," he said as he glanced at his watch. "I've got myself a man to marry."

* * *

Castiel gripped Meg's hand tightly as they walked down the aisle, trying desperately to calm the butterflies in his stomach. He didn't know why he was nervous, really. After all, Meg was right- he loved Dean and Dean loved him. What more was there? But for some reason, he couldn't shake the slight anxiety that was washing through him. Instead, he took a deep breath, swallowing roughly.

He kissed Meg's cheek as they reached the end of the aisle. She tipped him a wink and gave him an encouraging thumb up as she moved to stand in her place behind him. Cas took another deep breath, turning to face the door as Dean walked through it.

As Castiel caught sight of Dean, his heart began to pump furiously. The weird thing was that Cas couldn't decide if it was a "Dean is so attractive I may jump his bones in front of everyone" or a "Holy crap I'm getting married WARNING WARNING PANIC ALERT" sort of fluttering in his chest.

But, instead of panicking, Cas just returned Dean's smile as Dean moved to stand next to him.

"Friends and family, we have gathered here today…"

Castiel closed his eyes briefly, trying to calm himself down.

_Deep breaths, Cas, _he thought. _Remember what Meg said. You love each other. That's what this is about. Dean loves you. You love Dean. You love Dean. You love Dean. _Castiel began a sort of chant in his head, a calming mantra. Before Castiel knew it, the minister was turning to him.

"I believe you would like to say your vows first?" he asked.

Cas nodded somewhat shakily. Then, suddenly, all his nerves left him. These were words. Words were comfortable and familiar and safe. Castiel knew his way around words. He turned, looking into Dean's green eyes with a confident smile.

"I vow to love you in your entirety. I vow to love you even when you're tired and cranky or when you have bad morning breath. I vow to love you when you make me happier than I ever thought I could be, and I vow to love you when you make me want to throw something through a window." Castiel smiled as Dean chuckled softly. "I vow to love you until you don't want me to, and then some."

Dean brought Cas's hand up to his mouth, brushing the back lightly with his lips, his eyes never breaking contact with Castiel's. Behind him, sniffing could be heard from the guests.

"And now your vows," the minister promted, turning to Dean.

"I vow," Dean said strongly, still holding Cas's blue eyes with his gaze, "to love you in your entirety. I vow to love you when you're stressed and frazzled or when you start to get gray hairs. I vow to love you when you laugh softly in my ear, and I vow to love you when we get so angry at each other that we refuse to speak. I vow to love you until you don't want me to, and then some."

The minister now turned to Sam, asking for the rings. He handed the blue-studded band to Dean, and the green-studded band to Castiel.

"Do you, Castiel Novak," the priest began the well-worn phrase, "take Dean Winchester to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Castiel smiled up at Dean, all sense of nerves completely erased from his mind. "I do." Castiel placed the ring on Dean's finger.

"And do you, Dean Winchester, take Castiel Novak to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." Dean gave his answer so quickly he almost spoke over the priest. Castiel chuckled as Dean eagerly slid the ring onto his finger.

"I now pronounce you-" Before the priest could even finish, Dean's lips were on Castiel's. Cas ignored the guests' laughter as he wrapped his arms tightly around Dean's shoulders, responding to the kiss enthusiastically. As he moved to pull back, Dean leaned forwards, following, catching a few more quick kisses.

Suddenly, Dean and Castiel were swarmed by all their friends and family. As they smiled and thanked everyone, Dean wrapped an arm around Castiel's waist, murmuring "I love you"s into his ear.

* * *

Dean stood up at their table, calling for a microphone. The DJ quickly handed him one and turned down the music.

"Can I have everyone's attention please?" Dean asked into the mic. The chatter of the guests quieted down as everyone turned to face him. "It's just about the time of night where we give our speeches, so I thought I might as well go first." Dean took a deep breath. "There are a lot of things everyone comes to appreciate in life," he began. "For me, noise is a big one. One of my favorite noises in the world is when Cas throws his head back and-"

"Keep it PG!" Sam shouted from his seat, earning a laugh from the rest of the guests. Castiel turned bright red but couldn't his shoulders from shaking with laughter.

"See? This is what I'm talking about! Laughter is magical. When Castiel laughs, it's like a weight I didn't even know was there is being lifted off my chest. The first time I heard him laugh, I thought angels were singing or something. To me, laughter is the most beautiful sound in the world. It shows we're so happy we literally can't contain it anymore, and it comes bursting out of us instead. Castiel brings me that kind of joy. In fact, the first time I realized I loved him, I was laughing. Cas had been telling a joke, or a funny story, or something. I can't even remember what he had said- well, signed back then. All I remember is doubling up and laughing so hard my stomach hurt. I imagine I must have been gasping for breath as well. I remember thinking one thing when I finally got control of myself. It had been a long time since I laughed that hard. Years, in fact. Before Cas, I don't think anyone had even been able to get me to chuckle. So thank you, Castiel." Dean picked up his glass of champagne, toasting his new husband. "You make me the happiest I've been in a long, long time."

Everyone applauded as Cas stood, kissing Dean before taking the microphone from him.

"I don't how many of you know this, but at the beginning of th day, I was a nervous wreck. Juts ask Meg. I had gone into full-blown panic mode." Laughter rumbled from the guests.

"Dean, however, has always been so steady and sure. He's been a solid point in my life, and now, I get to say he'll be a solid point for the rest of it, too." Castiel turned to face him. "I will forever look up to you. You are the bravest, strongest man I have ever met. You are the greatest infinity of my life. There's no one else I would rather be with, and no one else I'd rather be loved by. But, I know how much you love music, so I decided I'd let it do the rest of the speaking for me."

Castiel turned off the mic and set it on the table, holding out a hand for Dean. Dean stood and took Cas's hand, allowing Cas to lead them to the dance floor. Dean placed his free hand on Castiel's waist as the music began to start.

Heart beats fast  
Colors and promises  
How to be brave?  
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall  
But watching you stand alone?  
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow

One step closer

I have died everyday waiting for you  
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you  
For a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more

Time stands still  
Beauty in all he is  
I will be brave  
I will not let anything take away  
What's standing in front of me  
Every breath  
Every hour has come to this

One step closer

I have died everyday waiting for you  
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you  
For a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed I would find you  
Time has brought your heart to me  
I have loved you for a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more

One step closer  
One step closer

I have died everyday waiting for you  
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you  
For a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed I would find you  
Time has brought your heart to me  
I have loved you for a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more

Dean pulled Castiel towards him, placing a light kiss against his lips, murmuring a thank you against them. Vaguely in the background, he registered the DJ announcing the dance floor was now open to the rest of the guests. More music began to play. The lights around them grew dimmer as Cas and Dean continued to sway lightly in each other's arms.

**AN: I really don't like the beginning of the chapter, but I feel like it started getting better towards the end. Now I'm going to cry myself to sleep as I wait for the inevitable failure of tomorrow's test. Love ya!**


	16. NOT A REAL CHAPTER BUT I HAVE A QUESTION

**AN: Hey guys. Quick question for all of you. Do you think it should continue or do you like the ending where it is? Get back to me!**


	17. MTW End

**I have reached a decision! Most of you said you liked the ending but wouldn't mind more, so here's what I'm going to do. This story is done. Thank you so much to everyone who read and everyone who reviewed and just everyone in general. I'd love it if you guys messaged/reviewed some ideas for future fics, though! That way, I can keep writing (like I want, and like you guys said you want) but I'm not dragging this story out to the point where I ruin it XS So, give me some prompts! Love you all and thank you so much again!**

**~hey-sass-butt**


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